PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


SA 


BV  210  .G733  1857 
Greenleaf ,  Jonathan, 

1865. 
Thoughts  on  prayer 


1785- 


THOUGHTS 


ON    PRAYER 


ITS   DUTY:   ITS   FORM:   ITS   SUBJECTS:    ITS 
ENCOURAGEMENTS  :  ITS  BLESSINGS. 


BY   JONATHAN  GREENLEAF, 

PASTOR  OP  THE  WALLABOUT  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 
OP  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

No.  821  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

JAMES  DUNLAP,  Teeas., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 

of  Pennsylvania. 


STEREOTYPED  BY 

JESPER  HARDING  &  SON, 

NO.   57   SOUTH  THIRD   STREET,   PHILADELPHIA. 


PHINGETON 
.REC,  MAfil882 
THSOLOGIOiiL 

CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

PAOE. 

Prayer  Defined, -        -  5 

CHAPTER  H. 
The  Lord's  Prayer, 9 

CHAPTER  HI. 
The  Lord's  Prayer  continued,      -        -     ^  -        -        -  14 

CHAPTER  lY. 
Secret  Prayer, 23 

CHAPTER  Y. 
Family  Prayer, 34 

CHAPTER  YL 
Social  Prayer, 49 

CHAPTER  YII. 
Public  Prayer, 57 

CHAPTER  Ym. 
The  Power  of  Prayer, 63 

CHAPTER  JX. 

Pleading  in  Prayer, 69 

(3) 


4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 

PAGK. 

Importunity  in  Prayer, 82 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Continuance  in  Prayer, 89 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Immediate  Prayer, 95 

CHAPTER  XHI. 
Prayer  for  common  Things, 103 

CHAPTER  XIY. 

Praying  in  the  Name  of  Christ, 109 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Assistance  of  the  Spirit  in  Prayer,        -        -        -        115 

CHAPTER  XYI. 
Prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit, 124 

CHAPTER  XYII. 

The  Hearer  of  Prayer,        ...  .        .        ^33 

CHAPTER  XYIII. 
Prayer  answered, I39 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  Praying  Man, I45 


.*^* 


I         -HlC.  MAR  1882  . 

Vthsologigsll 


CHAPTER    I. 
PRAYER  DEFINED. 

In  stating  the  nature  of  prayer,  the  question 
presents  itself  in  the  outset,  what  is  it? 
What  do  we  mean  by  prayer  ?  Our  well-known 
Assembly's  Catechism  gives  a  very  compre- 
hensive, and  at  the  same  time,  a  very  clear 
definition :  **  Prayer  is  the  offering  up  of  our 
desires  to  God,  for  things  agreeable  to  his  will, 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  with  confession  of  our 
sins,  and  thankful  acknowledgment  of  his  mer- 
cies." Prayer  is  not  intended  to  inform  God 
of  anything,  for  he  is  omniscient ;  he  knows 
everything  already.  Neither  is  prayer  in- 
tended to  move  God,  for  he  is  immutable; 
"  He  is  in  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  T  Job 
xxiii.  13.  Nor  is  prayer  like  a  demand  that  we 
might  make  for  the  payment  of  a  debt,  for  God 
owes  us  nothing ;  but  according  to  the  definition 

1*  (5) 


6  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

just  given,  it  is  the  offering  up  of  our  desires  to 
God,  for  things  agreeable  to  his  will,  in  the 
name  of  Christ.  It  is  not,  then,  the  mere  words 
of  the  lips ;  and  God  frequently  complains  of 
those  who  approach  him  with  the  lips,  while 
their  hearts  are  far  from  him.  Recurring 
again  to  the  definition  given,  we  affirm  that 
prayer  is  the  offering  up  of  the  desires  to  God. 
Many  an  effectual  and  fervent  prayer  has  been 
offered  to  Jehovah,  when  not  a  word  was  ut- 
tered. There  is,  however,  a  propriety  in  the 
use  of  words  in  prayer,  as  well  as  a  manifest 
advantage  in  the  practice ;  and  moreover,  we 
have  an  express  precept  for  it:  Thus  spake 
God  by  Hosea  :  "  Take  with  you  words  and 
turn  unto  the  Lord :  say  unto  him.  Take  away 
all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  graciously."  Hosea 
xiv.  2.  Hence  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  a  figure  very 
common  in  the  scriptures,  which  puts  the  effect 
for  the  cause,  and  the  sign  for  the  thing  signi- 
fied, represents  the  words  and  actions  of 
prayer  in  various  ways.  In  the  book  of  La- 
mentations, it  is  called  a  breathing :  "  Hide  not 
thine  ear  at  my  breathing."  Lam.  iii.  36. 
Prayer  is  undoubtedly  meant  in  this  passage. 
In  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  Paul  speaks  of 
prayer,  calling  it  a  groaning :  "  The  Spirit 
niaketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which 


PRAYER   DEFINED.  7 

cannot  be  uttered."  Rom.  viii.  26.  No  doubt 
the  apostle  had  reference  here  to  the  deep  and 
fervent  prayers  of  God's  people.  In  various 
places  in  the  psalms,  prayer  is  represented  by 
the  expressions  of  crying^  lifting  up  the  eyes, 
lifting  up  the  soul^  &c.  Our  Lord  speaks  of  the 
duty  a.s  knocking,  seeking,  and  asking.  In  Isaiah 
i.  35,  the  duty  is  represented  by  spreading 
forth  the  hands,  and  Hosea  describes  it  by 
weeping,  sajdng  of  Jacob  when  wrestling  with 
God,  "  He  wept  and  made  supplication."  Hosea 
xii.  4.  In  other  places,  the  duty  is  repre- 
sented by  kneeling  and  falling  down,  and  is 
sometimes  called  taking  hold  on  God,  Such, 
then,  is  prayer,  the  offering  up  of  our  desires 
to  God,  whether  those  desires  are  formed  into 
words  or  not. 

It  is  proper  to  say  here,  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  men  to  pray.  The  Evangelist  says  that 
our  Lord  spake  a  parable  to  this  end,  "  That 
men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint." 
Luke  X.  1.  So  Paul  directs  that  men  should 
"pray  always  with  all  prayer,"  Eph.  vi.  10. 
meaning,  probably,  that  prayer  should  be  of- 
fered in  every  situation,  public  and  private,  in 
secret,  in  the  family,  in  the  social  circle,  and 
in  the  sanctuary,  as  well  as  that  men  should 
be  always   in  a  praying  frame  j   and  in  his 


8  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  Paul  says  explicitly, 
^*In  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God."  Phil.  iv.  6.  With  such 
passages  before  him,  no  man  can  doubt  the 
duty,  who  admits  the  authority  of  the  word  of 
God. 


THE   LORDS   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   lord's   prayer. 

Among  the  earliest  instructions  of  our 
Lord  to  his  disciples,  was  a  directory  for 
prayer.  This  was  fitting,  as  the  duty  of 
prayer  lies  at  the  foundation  of  a  religious 
life.  Matthew  relates  that  our  Lord  was  con- 
trasting the  ostentatious  display  of  the  Phari- 
sees, and  the  vain  repetitions  of  the  heathen, 
with  the  simple  and  retiring  devotion  of  his 
true  people,  when  he  said,  "  Be  not  ye,  there- 
fore, like  unto  them,"  adding  immediately  a 
direction,  "After  this  manner,  therefore,  pray 
ye ;  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven."  Matt, 
vi.  8,  9.  Luke  says  that  our  Lord  rehearsed 
this  again  to  his  disciples  in  answer  to  their 
request  that  he  would  teach  them  to  pray,  and 
he  answered,  "  When  ye  pray,  say.  Our  Father 
which  art  in  heaven,"  &c.  Luke  xi.  2.  There 
can  be  little  doubt  but  that  our  Lord  intended 
here  to  give  to  men  everywhere  a  pattern  by 
which  to  regulate  their  prayers ;  and  yet  it  can 


10  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

hardly  be  supposed  that  he  intended  that 
these  words  and  these  only,  were  to  be  used,  as 
we  often  find  the  prayers  of  Christ  and  his 
disciples  spoken  of,  yet  no  allusion  made  to  this 
particular  form  of  words.  And  in  one  instance 
at  least,  a  prayer  of  Christ  is  recorded,  occu- 
pying the  entire  17th  chapter  of  John,  couched 
in  other  language  throughout.  It  is  therefore 
most  probable  that  the  form  recited  by  our 
Lord  was  intended  as  an  outline,  or  directory, 
serving  to  guide  the  desires  of  his  people,  and 
directing  them  what  to  ask  for  agreeable  to 
his  will.  As  in  preaching,  we  are  not  to  be 
confined  to  the  words  of  scripture  only,  but 
should  open  and  enforce  them  by  other  words, 
and  illustrate  and  argue  for  the  conviction  of 
those  who  hear,  so  in  prayer,  the  form  taught 
by  our  Lord  should  be  the  model,  but  other 
words  and  arguments  agreeable  thereto  may  be 
used. 

In  considering  this  model  for  prayer,  we 
are  struck  with  its  wonderful  simplicity.  Here 
are  no  high  sounding  epithets,  neither  any 
useless  repetitions,  but  a  plain,  simple,  and 
affectionate  address,  equally  distant  from  an 
affected  familiarity  on  the  one  hand,  and  ful- 
some flattery  on  the  other.  It  was  an  artless 
address  to  God,  as  to  a  Father  in  heaven,  whose 


THE   lord's   prayer.  11 

tender  mercies  were  over  all  the  works  of 
his  hands,  and  whose  providential  care  had 
regard  to  all  his  creatures.  How  different  is 
this  from  the  prayers  offered  by  some  men! 
Either  from  a  mistaken  notion  of  being  more 
acceptable  to  God,  or  from  a  desire  to  set  them- 
selves off  before  their  fellow  men,  or  from  not 
duly  considering  and  weighing  the  matter, 
they  will  heap  up  the  names  and  titles  of  Je- 
hovah in  their  addresses  to  him,  very  far  ex- 
ceeding the  simplicity,  which  our  Lord  here 
inculcates.  We  may  not  feel  bound  to  the 
use  of  this  particular  phrase,  "Our  Father," 
and  nothing  else,  but  as  our  Lord  directs, 
"After  this  manner  pray  ye,"  let  our  ad- 
dresses to  God  in  prayer  be  plain  and  simple. 
The  next  thought  here  suggested  is  con- 
cerning the  proper  object  of  prayer,  and  this 
is  plainly  taught  us  by  the  phrase,  "Our 
Father  in  heaven."  Our  worship  should  be 
addressed  to  God  alone.  Our  earthly  fathers 
are  not  objects  of  worship,  neither  are  saints 
or  angels  the  objects  to  which  we  should  direct 
our  prayers;  but  our  Father  in  heaven  is  the 
only  being  suitable  for  us  to  call  upon.  We 
do  not  mean  to  say  here  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  divine  Spirit,  are  not  suitable 
objects  of  worship.     They  certainly  are,  for 


12  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

they  are  God  also;  and  when  we  attempt  to 
pray,  and  address  our  Father  in  heaven,  we 
should  endeavour  to  conceive  of  the  three  per- 
sons in  the  sacred  Trinity  all  united  as  one, 
and  all  bending  their  ear  to  our  request,  while 
the  phrase,  "who  art  in  heaven,"  may  re- 
mind us  of  the  sovereign  and  universal  author- 
ity of  God,  seated  upon  his  throne  in  the 
heavens,  high  and  lifted  up. 

Another  important  thought  suggested  by 
addressing  God  as  a  father,  is,  that  our  suc- 
cess in  prayer  depends  very  much  on  this  re- 
lation. Sin  has  separated  man  from  God,  and 
as  sinners  we  can  only  look  on  him  as  a  con- 
suming fire,  nor  is  there  any  way  that  we 
can  safely  approach  him  but  as  a  reconciled 
Father,  through  Christ.  There  is  a  striking 
allusion  to  this  way  of  access  to  God  in  the 
third  chapter  of  Jeremiah.  God  is  there  re* 
proving  the  house  of  Israel  and  the  house  of 
Judah  for  their  sins,  and  asks  with  great  em- 
phasis, "How  shall  I  put  thee  among  the 
children?"  and  when  every  mouth  is  stopped, 
and  no  answer  can  be  found,  God  makes  the 
answer  himself,  saying,  "Thou  shalt  call  me, 
My  father."  Jer.  iii.  19.  This  then  is  the  way 
and  the  only  way  in  which  we  can  approach 
acceptably  unto  God;  we  must  have  the  feel- 


THE  lord's  prayer.  13 

ings  of  children,  and  come  unto  God  as  such. 
But  perhaps  some  will  ask,  What  are  the  feel- 
ings of  children,  which  we  must  exercise  to- 
ward God,  if  we  would  be  accepted  in  prayer  ? 
We  answer,  dutiful  children  love  their  parents, 
and  their  best  affections  are  drawn  out  to  them 
as  they  are  not  to  any  others.  Children  also 
fear  their  parents,  not  however  with  a  fear 
like  that  of  a  slave  to  his  master,  but  a  fear 
grounded  in  love — a  fear  to  offend.  Dutiful 
children  will  also  obey  their  parents,  and  are 
ready  to  defend  them.  The  child  needs  no 
constraint  here.  Let  him  but  understand  the 
will  of  his  father,  and  he  obeys  it;  while  the 
property,  the  person,  and  the  reputation  of 
the  parent  are  as  dear  to  the  child  as  his  own. 
Such  are  some  of  the  feelings  of  dutiful  child- 
ren, and  such  we  must  exercise  towards  God, 
if  we  would  truly  approach  him  in  prayer, 
with  any  expectation  of  being  heard  and  an- 
swered. 
2 


14  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER    III. 
THE   lord's   prayer   CONTINUED. 

That  form  of  prayer  which  our  Lord  taught 
his  disciples,  after  the  manner  of  which  they 
were  to  frame  their  addresses  to  God,  consisted 
of  an  introduction,  six  distinct  petitions,  and 
a  conclusion,  or  Doxology.  The  introduction 
we  have  considered,  and  the  several  petitions 
are  now  before  us.  We  will  consider  them 
separately. 

1.  "Hallowed  be  thy  name."  By  the  name 
of  God,  as  that  term  is  used  in  the  Bible,  the 
several  perfections  of  his  character  are  meant, 
such  as  his  sovereignty,  his  justice,  his  power, 
his  truth,  his  mercy,  &c.  The  term  "  to  hallow" 
means  to  sanctify,  to  honour,  or  to  glorify  any 
person  or  thing ;  and  hence  the  petition,  "  Hal- 
lowed be  thy  name,"  is  a  prayer  that  God 
would  cause  his  perfections  to  shine  forth,  and 
that  he  would  enable  us  and  others  to  glorify 
him  in  all  things  whereby  he  makes  himself 
known.    This  petition  is  placed  first,  probably, 


THE    lord's   prayer.  15 

to  teach  us,  that  in  prayer  we  should  seek 
God's  glory  iu  preference  to  our  own  wants, 
desiring  that,  whatever  may  become  of  us,  God 
may  be  glorified,  and  the  several  perfections 
of  his  character  may  be  displayed. 

2.  "Thy  kingdom  come."  The  phrase, 
"kingdom  of  God,"  and  "  kingdom  of  heaven," 
is  often  used  in  the  scriptures,  but  not  always 
in  the  same  sense,  meaning,  perhaps,  in  one 
place,  the  gospel  dispensation,  and  in  another, 
the  christian  church,  and  then  grace  in  the 
heart,  and  then  again  the  kingdom  of  glory. 
This  kingdom  was  revealed  to  God's  prophet 
in  most  glowing  language  :  "And  in  the  days 
of  those  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up 
a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed  ; 
and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  peo- 
ple, but  it  shall  break  in  pieces,  and  consume 
all  those  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever !" 
Daniel  ii.  44.  Such  is  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah,  for  the  coming  of  which  we  are  here 
taught  to  pray. 

The  petition  we  are  considering  may  relate 
to  ourselves,  to  others,  and  to  the  Church  of 
Christ  on  earth,  for  in  each  of  these  God's 
kingdom  may  come.  In  regard  to  ourselves, 
if  we  use  this  petition  understandingly,  we 
must  truly  desire  that  our  hearts  maybe  more 


IS  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

and  more  subdued  by  the  power  of  the  divine 
Spirit,  and  that  the  principle  of  holiness  im- 
planted in  the  heart  by  regeneration,  may  in- 
crease, until  it  shall  issue  in  eternal  life.  In 
relation  to  others,  when  we  say  to  God  in 
prayer,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  we  must  desire 
that  all  men  should  be  converted,  and  become 
the  willing  subjects  of  divine  grace.  And  in 
regard  to  the  church,  we  must  desire  the  ad- 
vancement of  true  religion  in  the  world,  and 
rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  a  time,  when  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  fill  the  earth. 

3.  "  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in 
heaven."  By  the  will  of  God  we  may  under- 
stand either  his  commands,  or  his  providence ; 
the  first  of  these  being  our  rule  of  duty,  and 
the  second  that,  whereby  he  accomplishes  his 
purposes  ;  and  both  are  to  be  considered,  if  we 
would  say  from  the  heart,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 
In  using  this  petition  acceptably,  several  im- 
portant things  are  implied.  For  example  :  If 
we  sincerely  say  in  prayer,  "  Thy  will  be  done," 
we  do  in  effect  desire  to  obtain  a  full  knowledge 
of  God's  commandments,  as  we  cannot  obey  a 
a  rule  that  we  do  not  understand.  When  we 
use  this  petition  understandingly,  we  desire 
also  that  God  would  subdue  the  opposition  of 
our  hearts,  and  bring  them  into  subjection  to 


THE   lord's   prayer.  17 

himself;  and  not  this  alone,  for  it  implies  a 
desire  also  to  love  his  will,  and  a  desire  to  per- 
form it.  Every  command  of  God  has  refer- 
ence to  some  action,  and  therefore,  in  propor- 
tion as  we  desire  to  know  the  command,  and 
become  reconciled  to  it,  in  the  same  proportion 
we  shall  desire  to  do  it.  Nor  is  this  all,  for 
as  we  use  this  petition,  we  must  be  understood 
to  desire  that  the  providences  of  God  may  be 
fulfilled,  and  thus  his  will  be  done  on  earth, 
as  it  is  done  in  heaven. 

4.  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."  It 
is  worthy  of  special  regard  that  our  Lord  di- 
rected his  disciples  when  they  prayed  to  seek 
the  things  of  God  first,  and  then  the  things 
pertaining  to  themselves,  as  even  daily  bread 
should  not  be  sought  in  preference  to  the  glory 
of  the  divine  perfections,  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah's  kingdom,  and  the  subjection  of 
everything  to  his  will.  In  using  this  fourth 
petition,  several  important  things  are  to  be  re- 
garded. First,  we  are  instructed  by  it  to  ask 
of  God  simply  what  we  need  of  temporal  bless- 
ings. We  have  no  authority  here  to  ask  for  su- 
perfluities, but  merely  for  bread,  for  the  mere 
substantials  of  life.  We  are  taught,  secondly,  in 
this  petition,  that  we  are  to  depend  on  a  daily 
providence.  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 


18  THOUGHTS    ON   PRAYER. 

A  daily  supply  should  content  us.  And  we  learn, 
thirdly,  that  what  we  ask  of  God  we  should 
solicit  as  a  free  gift.  "  Give  us,"  is  the  direc- 
tion, not  lend  us,  nor  sell  us,  nor  yet  are  we 
to  ask  for  these  mercies  as  a  reward  of  merit, 
hut  we  are  to  ask  of  God  to  give  us  daily 
bread,  of  his  own  free  mercy. 

5.  "And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive 
our  debtors."  In  the  scriptures  sin  is  often 
represented  as  a  debt,  and  no  one  can  consis- 
tently use  this  petition  unless  he  feels  that  he 
has  offended  God.  The  man  who  considers 
himself  blameless,  on  the  whole,  if  not  abso- 
lutely pure,  cannot  from  his  heart  use  this 
petition,  because  he  does  not  consider  himself 
a  debtor.  Such  was  the  error  of  the  Pharisee 
who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray.  His 
spirit  was  boastful.  He  did  not  consider  him- 
self a  debtor.  Luke  xviii.  10 — 12.  So  too 
the  young  ruler  was  rejected  on  the  same 
account.  Instead  of  supposing  himself  a 
debtor,  he  boasted  of  his  obedience.  Luke 
xviii.  18 — 21.  Nor  is  this  all,  for  when  we 
use  this  petition,  and  ask  God  to  forgive  us 
our  debts,  if  we  are  sincere  we  believe  that  he 
alone  has  power  to  forgive  sins,  and  we  come  to 
him  accordingly.  Hence,  then,  we  renounce 
every  self-justifying  plea,  cast  down  the  wea- 


THE   lord's   prayer.  19 

pons  of  our  rebellion,  and  submit  unreservedly 
to  Christ,  believing  that  it  is  his  sole  preroga- 
tive to  say  to  the  burdened  soul,  "  Thy  sins 
be  forgiven  thee."  We  are  also  instructed  in 
this  petition  to  offer  the  prayer  under  a  condi- 
tion, "  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our 
debtors."  This  is  a  subscription  on  our  part 
to  God's  law  of  pardoning.  It  is  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  right  to  treat  us  precisely  as 
we  treat  others.  That  our  Lord  considered 
this  principle  of  much  consequence  may  be 
learned  from  the  fact,  that  immediately  on 
concluding  the  prayer,  he  stated  again  this 
principle,  and  enlarged  upon  it:  "For,"  said 
he,  "  if  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses,  your 
heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you  ;  but  if 
ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither 
will  your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses." 
Matt.  vi.  14,  15.  This  principle  should  be 
solemnly  pondered  by  every  man  who  prays. 
6.  "And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but 
deliver  us  from  evil."  To  tempt,  as  the  word 
is  generally  understood,  conveys  an  idea 
altogether  dissimilar  to  the  real  character  of 
God,  who,  as  an  apostle  expresses  it,  "  cannot 
be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any 
man."  James  i.  13.  But  the  general  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  as  applied  to  Jehovah,  signi- 


20  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

fies  to  assay,  or  to  prove.  In  this  sense  God 
is  said  to  have  tempted  Abraham  when  he 
commanded  him  to  sacrifice  Isaac  ;  and  in  this 
sense  also  every  trial  is  a  temptation,  as  it 
tends  to  make  manifest  the  leading  disposition 
of  the  heart;  and  every  appointment  of  provi- 
dence is  a  temptation,  also,  made  to  prove  us, 
and  thereby  to  see  whether  we  will  hold  fast 
our  integrity,  or  not.  In  this  sense  then  God 
may  be  said  to  lead  men  into  temptation. 
Against  either  distressing  providences,  or  trials 
that  might  overwhelm  us,  we  are  then  at  lib- 
erty to  pray ;  praying  that  God  "  would  either 
keep  us  from  being  tempted  to  sin,  or  support 
and  deliver  us  when  we  are  tempted."  So 
prayed  our  Lord  in  the  days  of  his  flesh; 
"Father,  if  it  be  possible  let  this  cup  pass 
from  me."  But  he  knew  the  necessity  of  the 
case,  and  subjoined,  "If  this  cup  may  not 
pass  from  me  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be 
done."     Matt.  xxvi.  39,  42. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  the  prayer  which  our 
Lord  taught  his  disciples,  after  the  manner  of 
which  they  were  to  shape  their  requests.  If 
therefore,  we  would  pray  acceptably  to  the 
great  Hearer  of  prayer,  we  must  strive  to  ob- 
tain a  heart- affecting  view  of  the  several  per- 
fections of  his  character;  we  must  desire  to 


THE   lord's   prayer.  21 

see  his  kingdom  established  on  earth,  and  set 
up  prosperously  in  the  hearts  of  men;  we 
must  aim  to  have  his  will  accomplished,  both 
in  our  own  hearts  and  in  the  world;  at  the 
same  time  our  personal  desires  should  be  mod- 
erate, and  we  should  be  content  with  a  daily 
supply  for  daily  wants ;  we  must  exercise  a 
forgiving  spirit,  hoping  for  the  pardon  of  our 
sins  against  God  in  exact  proportion  as  we 
forgive  our  fellow  men;  and  realizing  our  ex- 
ceeding weakness,  we  should  offer  our  desires 
to  God  for  strength  to  stand  in  the  hour  of 
trial.  With  these  feelings  we  may  hope  to 
succeed  in  prayer  when  we  approach  the  mercy- 
seat. 

A  concluding  Doxology  was  appended  to 
this  prayer  by  our  Lord,  on  which  a  remark 
or  two  should  be  made.  "For  thine  is  the 
kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory  for 
ever.  Amen."  By  ascribing  the  kingdom  to 
God  we  virtually  renounce  all  others,  and 
admit  his  rightful  sovereignty  over  all  things. 
When  we  ascribe  power  to  God,  we  merely 
acknowledge  as  his  what  he  shows  every  day 
that  he  possesses;  and  the  ascribing  of  glory 
to  him  is  an  acknowledgment  that  his  glory 
will  be  displayed  both  in  the  eternal  salvation 
of  his  people,  and  in  the  destruction  of  those 


22  THOUGHTS  ON  PRAYER. 

that  despise  his  name.  The  adding  of  Amen  to 
this  Doxology  is  an  expression  of  earnest  desire, 
equivalent  perhaps  to  the  phrase  "  So  be  it," 
showing  that  we  trust  the  petitions  with  God 
most  confidently,  and  so  wdnd  up  the  prayer 
in  faith  and  hope.  When  we  thus  pray,  and 
especially  when  we  add  to  our  prayers  our  fer- 
vent Amen,  if  we  understand  ourselves,  and 
mean  anything,  we  mean  that  as  the  things  for 
which  we  pray  are  in  God's  purposes,  and 
are  revealed  in  his  promises,  so  we  would  ask 
them  in  our  prayers,  and  so  ascribe  them  in 
our  praises.* 

*  Bernard's  Thesaurus,  nearly. 


SECRET   PRAYER.  23 


CHAPTER  lY. 

SECRET  PRAYER. 

Our  Lord  was  very  particular  in  every- 
thing that  related  to  the  advancement  of  re- 
ligion in  the  souls  of  men,  and  while  he  passed 
over  in  silence  the  formal  round  of  Jewish  ce- 
remonies, he  noticed  things  of  apparently 
small  moment,  by  which  the  life  of  religion  is 
maintained  in  the  soul,  and  communion  kept 
up  between  heaven  and  earth.  Among  these 
directions  we  have  his  precepts  for  secret 
prayer,  a  duty  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of 
all  religion  in  the  other  departments  of  life. 
"When  thou  prayest,"  said  he,  "enter  into 
thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy 
door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret; 
and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret,  shall 
reward  thee  openly."  Matt.  vi.  6.  Many  con- 
clusive arguments  can  be  stated  in  favour  of 
this  duty,  and  to  these  we  will  first  attend. 
Five  principal  arguments  may  be  named : 

1.  The  command  of  Christ.  The  words 
just  now  recited  are  plain  and  positive,  and 


24  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

must  bind  the  conscience  of  every  one  who 
bows  humbly  to  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ. 
2.  The  example  of  Christ  affords  another 
weighty  argument  for  this  duty.  It  is  re- 
lated of  him  by  one  Evangelist  that  having 
sent  away  his  disciples,  and  the  multitude, 
"he  went  up  into  a  mountain  apart  to  pray; 
and  when  the  evening  was  come,  he  was  there 
alone."  Matt.  xiv.  23.  Another  Evangelist 
says  that  "in  the  morning,  rising  up  a  great 
while  before  day,  he  went  out  and  departed 
into  a  solitary  place,  and  there  prayed."  Mark 
i.  35.  And  a  third  Evangelist  states  that  after 
the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes,  and  the  heal- 
ing of  a  leprous  man,  our  Lord  "withdrew 
himself  into  the  wilderness,  and  prayed."  Luke 
V.  18.  A  similar  record  is  made  in  another 
place,  where  it  is  stated  that  "he  went  out 
into  a  mountain  to  pray,  and  continued  all 
night  in  prayer  to  God."  Luke  vi.  12.  To 
these  testimonials  we  may  add  his  fervent 
cries  to  God  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane; 
where  none  but  the  angels,  God's  minister- 
ing spirits,  witnessed  his  agony,  and  bore  re- 
port to  heaven  of  his  bitter  groans.  These 
examples  of  the  Saviour  form  a  powerful  ar- 
gument, and  those  who  are  solicitous  to  follow 
him  in  all  that  is  imitable  will  feel  their  ob- 
ligation  to  retire  from   the  world   like  their 


SECRET   PRAYER.  25 

divine   Master,  and   pour  out  their   souls   in 

prayer  to  Him  whose  eyes  are  in  every  place, 

beholding  the  evil  and  the  good. 

3.  A  third   argument   in   favour  of  secret 

prayer  is,  that  every  person  has  secret  sins 

to  confess,  secret  wants   to  urge,  and  secret 

mercies  to  acknowledge.      Every  person  who 

truly  knows  himself  will  be  conscious  of  sins 

which  are  completely  hidden  from  the  world — 

sins  that  he  would  not  reveal  to  his  nearest 

friend;  and  yet  in  secret  prayer  the  heart  of 

the  truly  contrite  soul  will  be  laid  open  before 

God,  and  every  transgression  will  be  spread 

out  at  his  feet:   yea,  the  penitent  in   secret 

will  often    go  out  into   particulars  respecting 

his  sins,  such  as  he  would  not  dare  to  breathe 

before  the  world.     In  seci-et  also  the  praying 

soul  will  urge  his  peculiar  wants,  and  plead 

with  God  as  a  man  pleadeth  with  his  friend. 

There  may  be  circumstances  in  his  case  which 

he  could  not  divulge  before  an}^  mortal,  but 

before    God    every  screen   is  withdrawn.    'A 

place  and  a  time  for  private  devotion  is  also 

needed  that  the  thankful  soul  may  acknowledge 

mercies   received.     Often   indeed  will   he  do 

this  publicly,  and  call  on  the  saints  as  David 

did,  "Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God, 

and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my 

soul."     Psalm  Ixvi.  16.     But   he  will  do  this 
3 


26  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

more  especiallj^  in  private.  When  no  mortal 
eye  can  see  him,  and  no  mortal  ear  can  hear 
his  voice,  the  grateful  convert  will  lift  up  his 
soul  to  the  Lord,  in  the  highest  ascriptions  of 
praise. 

4.  Another  argument  for  this  duty  is  that 
God  appears  to  be  specially  pleased  with  the 
secret  prayers  of  his  people.  There  is  one 
very  pertinent  passage  to  this  effect  in  the 
Song  of  Solomon :  "  0  my  dove,  that  art  in 
the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the  secret  places  of 
the  stairs,  let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me 
hear  thy  voice;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and 
thy  countenance  is  comely."  Sol.  Song  ii.  14. 
Thus  does  Christ  encourage  the  young  convert 
to  improve  communion  with  him  in  secret  devo- 
tion, urging  as  a  motive  his  delight  in  the 
service. 

5.  One  other  argument  for  secret  prayer  re- 
mains to  be  stated  :  God  will  reward  openly 
the  secret  prayers  of  his  people.  So  he  has 
promised,  and  he  will  make  it  good.  It  is  done 
in  two  ways  :  First,  by  an  increase  of  grace, 
and  second,  by  having  the  things  prayed  for. 
Those  who  pray  much  in  secret  are  generally 
distinguished  from  others  by  an  exemplary 
and  hol}^  life.  As  Moses,  when  he  had  been 
long  in  the  mount  with  God,  exhibited  a  radi- 


SECRET  PRAYER.  27 

ance  on  his  countenance,  the  very  "skin  of 
his  face  shone/'  Exodus  xxxiv.  29,  so  the 
pious,  praying  soul,  shines  in  the  duties  of  his 
holy  profession.  When  we  see  a  person  shin- 
ing in  christian  knowledge  and  grace,  in- 
creasing in  a  spiritual  acquaintance  with  the 
scriptures,  edifying  in  christian  conversation, 
and  ready  always  to  speak  for  God  and  his 
cause ;  if  we  could  follow  that  person  home, 
we  should  most  assuredly  find  him  constant 
in  secret  prayer  ;  we  should  find  him  taking 
all  proper  opportunities  to  steal  away  from  the 
world,  and  hold  communion  with  Him  who  seeth 
in  secret.  And  on  the  other  hand,  whenever 
we  see  a  person  dull  and  spiritless  in  holy 
things,  ignorant  and  backsliding,  having  but 
little  spiritual  understanding  of  the  scriptures, 
conformed  to  the  world,  and  making  an  un- 
even and  irregular  walk ;  if  we  follow  this  man 
home,  we  shall  find  that  he  seldom,  if  ever, 
prays  in  secret.  So  clearly  does  God  reward 
the  praying  soul,  and  punish  the  prayerless. 
Nor  is  this  all,  for  he  rewards  the  duty  by 
frequently  granting  the  things  prayed  for. 
Whether  secret  prayers  are  more  generally 
answered  than  other  prayers,  we  may  not  be 
able  to  determine,  but  it  is  very  clear,  that 
some  of  the  most  remarkable  answers  to  prayer 


28  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

recorded  in  the  Bible,  were  answers  to  prayer 
offered  in  secret.  The  prayers  of  Jacob  at 
Bethel  were  secret  prayers.  It  was  night,  and 
he  was  alone  in  the  field,  and  here  he  called 
on  God,  and  had  visions  of  the  Most  High,  and 
God  heard  his  cries,  and  fulfilled  his  request, 
keeping  him  in  the  way  that  he  went,  and 
bringing  him  in  safety  back  to  his  father's 
house.  And  when  he  was  returning  home- 
ward, and  wrestled  all  night  in  prayer  with 
the  great  angel  of  the  covenant,  he  was  alone, 
and  no  mortal  eye  beheld,  nor  ear  heard,  as 
he  wept,  and  made  supplication  to  Jehovah, 
and  the  Lord  blessed  him  there.  Gen.  xxviii. 
10-17;  xxxii.  24-30.     Hosea  xii.  4,  5. 

The  very  prevalent  prayers  of  Moses,  and 
of  Samuel,  when  they  stood  in  the  breach,  and 
prevailed  in  turning  away  the  wrath  of  God 
from  Israel,  were  both  secret  prayers.  Ex. 
xxxii.  11-14.  1  Sam.  vii.  8,  9.  So  the 
prayers  of  Elijah,  when  he  raised  the  widow's 
son,  were  offered  in  secret;  for  he  took  the 
lifeless  body  of  the  child  from  his  mother,  and 
carried  him  up  into  the  loft  where  he  abode, 
and  there  prayed ;  and  when  he  prayed  for 
rain,  after  the  drought  had  scorched  the  land 
for  three  years  and  an  half,  he  was  alone,  hav- 
ing separated  himself  from  his  servant,  with 


SECRET   PRAYER.  29 

his  face  to  the  ground.  1  Kmgs  xvii.  17-23; 
xviii.  42-45.  So,  too,  the  prayers  of  Elisha 
were  uttered  in  secret,  when  he  raised  the  son 
of  the  Shunammite.  The  dead  child  had  been 
carried  by  his  mother,  and  laid  on  the  pro- 
phet's bed,  and  when  Elisha  came  to  the  house, 
'^he  went  in  and  shut  the  door  upon  them 
twain,  and  prayed  unto  the  Lord,"  and  God 
hearkened  and  heard,  and  the  soul  of  the  child 
returned,  and  Elisha  delivered  him  alive  to  his 
mother.  2  Kings  iv.  32-37.  In  like  man- 
ner, the  prayers  of  Peter  were  uttered  in  se- 
cret, when  he  raised  Tabitha  to  life.  When 
he  found  a  great  company  of  "  saints  and  wid- 
ows "  bemoaning  her  death,  it  is  expressly 
said  that  he  "  put  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled 
down,  and  prayed,  and  turning  him  to  the 
body,  said,  Tabitha,  arise!  And  she  opened 
her  eyes:  and  when  she  saw  Peter,  she  sat 
up,"  Acts  ix.  40.  The  prayers  of  Daniel, 
which  were  so  prevalent  with  Gfod,  that  the 
an2:el  Gabriel  was  sent  from  heaven  to  instruct 
him  and  bring  answers  of  peace,  appear  also 
to  have  been  offered  in  secret.  Dan.  viii.  15- 
19  ;  ix.  3-23. 

Thus  the  command  of  Christ,  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ,  the  opportunity  thus  afforded 
for  secret  confession,  urging  secret  wants,  and 


30  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

acknowledging  secret  mercies ;  the  delight  that 
God  takes  in  such  prayers,  and  his  promise  to 
reward  them  openly  :  these  things  all  present 
strong  arguments  for  the  duty  of  secret  prayer. 

PresuQiing  that  the  arguments  thus  stated 
are  conclusive,  the  inquiry  will  very  naturally 
arise  for  some  directions  for  the  suitable  per- 
formance of  the  duty. 

How  often  must  we  pray  in  secret  ?  is  perhaps 
the  first  question  that  will  arise.  On  this  point 
the  scripture  is  silent.  It  only  says  that  the 
prayer  in  question  must  be  secret.  The  ex- 
amples in  the  Bible  have  varied.  David  ap- 
pears to  have  prayed  very  often,  "  Seven 
times  a  day  do  1  praise  thee,"  says  he.  Psalm 
cxix.  164.  Probably  a  definite  time  is 
named  here  for  an  indefinite  one,  meaning 
that  he  prayed  very  often.  In  another  place 
he  names  certain  times  of  prayer,  saying, 
"  Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I 
pray,  and  cry  aloud ;  and  he  shall  hear  my 
voice."  Psalm  Iv.  17.  Daniel  prayed  thrice 
every  day.  This  is  the  record  of  him  :  "Now 
when  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  was 
signed  [^.  e,  the  wicked  decree  forbidding  any 
one  to  pray  for  thirty  days],  he  went  into  his 
house ;  and  his  windows  being  open  in  his 
chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled  upon 


SECRET   PRAYER.  31 

his  knees  three  times  a  day,  and  prayed,  and 
gave  thanks  before  his  God,  as  he  did  afore- 
time." Daniel  vi.  10.  This  shows  his  prac- 
tice. If  we  look  at  the  example  of  our  Lord, 
we  shall  only  find  that  he  prayed  in  secret,  and 
prayed  much,  but  no  more  definite  information 
can  be  obtained.  Thus,  as  there  is  no  direct 
precept  on  this  subject  to  inform  us  precisely 
how  often  we  should  pray  in  secret,  there 
seems  a  propriety  in  saying  that  the  duty 
should  be  performed  at  least  daily,  as  every 
day  brings  with  it  sins  to  confess,  wants  to 
urge,  and  mercies  to  acknowledge. 

Another  question  w^hich  arises,  regards  the 
time  for  secret  prayer;  shall  it  be  morning, 
or  noon,  or  night,  or  all,  or  any  of  them  ? 
Here  also  the  scripture  is  silent,  giving  no  pre- 
cept as  to  the  time,  intimating  thereby  that 
the  precise  time  for  the  performance  of  the 
duty  is  immaterial.  It  is  undoubtedly  proper 
that  some  of  our  best  time  should  be  devoted 
to  this  duty;  that  those  seasons  should  be 
chosen  which  are  most  free  from  cares  and 
business,  w'hen  the  mind  is  least  perplexed, 
and  the  body  least  exhausted,  and  heavy 
through  fatigue  and  sleep.  A  personwill  easily 
discover  what  part  of  the  day  his  mind  and 
body  are  in  the  best  state  for  serious  thought 


32  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

and  meditation,  and  let  hira  select  that  time 
for  intercourse  with  "  the  Father  of  spirits." 
Having  thus  found  the  best  time  for  secret 
prayer,  there  is  a  manifest  advantage  in  being 
as  punctual  as  possible  to  that  time  every  day, 
notwithstanding  what  some  may  say  about 
formality.  In  all  things  we  are  very  much 
the  creatures  of  habit,  and  a  habit  of  doing 
right,  and  of  performing  our  duty,  should  be 
cultivated  daily.  Then  as  the  stated  hour  of 
prayer  returns,  our  minds  will  revert  to  it, 
business  will  be  made  to  conform  to  that  hour, 
and  some  system  and  regularity  will  be  secured 
in  devotion  as  well  as  in  other  things. 

One  question  more  will  probably  arise  in  re- 
lation to  this  matter :  What  are  the  most  pro- 
per subjects  for  secret  prayer?  These  will 
necessarily  be  as  various  as  the  people  who 
pray.  The  only  general  rule  which  can  be 
given  in  relation  to  this  subject  is,  that  all 
things  pertaining  to  the  individual  alone,  should 
be  spread  out  in  secret  before  God,  and  never 
introduced  in  public.  In  the  closet,  every  se- 
cret of  the  heart  should  be  laid  open,  and  we 
may  there  go  into  particulars,  and  name  indi- 
vidual cases,  both  our  own  and  others,  and 
make  disclosures,  which  would  be  manifestly 
improper  in  any  public  assembly,  or  even  in 


SECRET   PRAYER.  33 

the  family.  And  we  may  just  remark  here, 
in  passing,  that  there  are  some  advantages  from 
the  use  of  words  in  secret  prayer.  It  is  true 
that  God  sees  the  heart,  and  regards  espe- 
cially the  thoughts  and  dispositions  of  the  soul; 
and  it  is  also  true  that  acceptable  prayer  may 
be  offered  where  no  sound  is  uttered ;  and  as 
we  move  about  in  the  world  from  day  to  day, 
such  an  intercourse  with  heaven  may  and 
ought  to  be  maintained ;  yet,  when  we  retire 
to  our  closets  for  secret  devotion,  the  use  of 
words  serves  to  keep  the  mind  regular,  as  well 
as  to  awaken  more  feeling. 


o4  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER    y. 

FAMILY    PRAYER. 

The  duty  of  calling  on  God  does  not  end 
with  individual  or  private  devotion,  but  is  ex- 
tended to  families,  to  the  social  circle,  and  to 
the  public  assembly ;  and  it  is  proper  that  we 
consider  it  in  these  connections.  The  minghng 
of  two  or  more  individuals  constitutes  the 
family,  where  prayer  should  be  offered ;  and 
we  will  consider  the  duty  in  this  relation. 

Many  arguments  might  be  stated  in  favour 
of  family  prayer,  of  which  the  following  are  a 
few  of  the  most  prominent : 

1.  The  erection  of  families,  and  the  constant 
recognition  of  this  relation  in  the  scriptures, 
furnish  a  strong  argument  why  God  should 
be  worshipped  there.  Families  are  of  divine 
appointment.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  Jehovah 
after  he  had  made  the  world,  was  to  constitute 
a  family.  ''  And  the  Lord  God  said.  It  is  not 
good  that  the  man  should  be  alone  :  I  will 
make  an  helpmeet  for  him."     Gen.  ii.  18.     So 


FAMILY    PRAYER.  35 

the  woman  was  created,  and  a  family  was  es- 
tablished, and  God  blessed  the  family  as  he 
did  his  other  works,  and  pronounced  it  very 
good. 

When  the  world  was  destroyed  by  a  flood  of 
waters,  God  preserved  not  an  individual  alone, 
but  a  family,  and  even  a  part  of  that  family 
were  ungodly  people.  Gen.  ix.  25.  And  so 
when  Sodom  was  destroyed,  Lot's  family  were 
brought  forth,  though  himself  only  was  right- 
eous before  God.  Gen.  xix.  12-16.  So  in 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  Abraham,  his  family 
were  included ;  and  in  New  Testament  times, 
the  families  of  the  jailor  at  Philippi,  of  Lydia, 
of  Stephanus,  and  others,  are  recognized  in 
their  family  capacity  as  receiving  blessings 
from  God.  Acts  xvi.  15,  31-33.  1  Cor.  i. 
16.  A  weighty  argument  may  be  raised  from 
all  this,  for  the  propriety  of  worshipping  God 
in  the  family  circle. 

2.  The  duties  arising  from  the  family  state, 
furnish  another  argument  for  family  prayer; 
and  here  a  single  thing  shall  be  named.  The 
right  education  of  children  depends  very 
much  on  the  stated  performance  of  this  duty. 
"  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go, 
and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it." 
Prov.  xxii.  6.     These  words  of  Solomon  are 


36  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

in  accordance  with  those  of  Paul,  "Bring 
them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord."  Eph.  vi.  3.  There  is  no  way  so  effec- 
tual in  which  a  right  turn  may  be  given  to 
children  in  early  life  as  to  go  before  them  in 
the  duty  of  family  prayer.  Example  is  al- 
ways better  than  precept,  and  we  may  rest 
assured  that  no  child  will  be  urged  to  the 
duty  of  prayer  by  a  parent  who  neglects  that 
duty  himself.  With  what  face  can  any  man 
urge  religion  upon  his  household,  while  his 
own  practice  is  in  opposition  to  the  course  he 
points  out  to  them?  And  may  they  not  justly 
retort  upon  him  in  the  language  of  an  apostle, 
"  Thou  that  teachest  another,  teachest  not  thou 
thyself?"  Rom.  ii.  21.  Thus  by  the  neglect 
of  family  prayer,  the  neglect  of  other  duties 
follows,  more  especially  the  instruction  of 
children ;  but  where  prayer  is  maintained,  this 
is  seldom  omitted. 

3.  Another  argument  in  favour  of  this  duty 
is  found  in  the  consideration,  that  all  families 
have  particular  mercies  to  acknowledge,  and 
particular  wants  to  make  known.  Sickness, 
or  death,  or  trouble,  or  affliction  of  various 
kinds,  may  make  the  case  of  a  family  pe- 
culiar, and  call  for  such  supplication  as  might 
not  be  consistently  delayed  till  the  public  as- 


FAMILY   PRAYER.  37 

sembly,  or  might  be  improper  to  be  brought 
there,  or  some  mercy  may  call  for  acknowledg- 
ment during  the  recess  of  public  worship, 
which  might  demand  more  notice  than  closet 
devotion  affords;  and  hence  the  importance  of 
a  family  altar  on  which  such  offerings  may  be 
laid. 

4.  We  derive  ^  fourth  argument  for  family 
prayer  from  the  examples  of  good  men  record- 
ed in  the  Bible.  The  example  of  Job  is  a 
striking  one.  It  is  said  that  he  rose  up  early 
in  the  morning,  and  offered  burnt  sacrifices 
for  each  of  his  sons,  accompanying  them  no 
doubt  with  his  pra^^ers;  and  lest  it  should  be 
thought  that  this  was  only  an  occasional  service, 
it  is  added,  "Thus  did  Job  continually."  Job 
i.  5.  It  is  hardly  supposable  that  this  good 
man  would  enter  on  such  a  course  as  a  fixed 
habit  without  making  it  a  family  concern.  It 
is  said  of  David  also  that  after  having  wor- 
shipped God  in  the  sanctuary,  he  returned  to 
his  family  to  perform  the  same  duty  there. 
Chron.  xvi.  43.  In  the  Gospel  history  we 
have  the  example  of  our  Lord  stated:  "And  it 
came  to  pass,  that  as  he  was  praying  in  a  cer- 
tain place,  when  he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples 
said  unto  him.  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John 
also  taught  his  disciples."  Luke  xi.  I.  The  disci- 


38  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

pies  of  our  Lord  constituted  his  family,  and 
though  not  long  resident  in  any  one  place,  yet 
they  were  a  family,  with  whom,  as  the  head, 
Jesus  prayed  as  opportunity  presented,  and 
gave  thanks  for  their  food,  leaving  us  in  these 
things  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his 
steps.  In  the  history  given  us  of  Paul,  we 
have  another  striking  example  of  family  wor- 
ship, in  connection  with  some  account  of  a 
damsel  possessed  with  a  spirit  of  divination. 
The  sacred  writer  says,  "  The  same  followed 
Paul  and  us,  as  we  went  to  prayer,  and  this 
she  did  many  days."  Acts  xvi.  16 — 18.  It 
appears  from  the  whole  account  that  without 
the  city  of  Philippi,  on  the  bank  of  a  river, 
probably  in  some  retired  spot,  there  was  a 
place  for  prayer,  and  thither  the  apostle  and 
his  companions,  with  a  few  pious  women,  were 
in  the  practice  of  resorting  for  daily  prayer. 
The  possessed  damsel  seems  to  have  known 
that  they  went  out  to  this  place  daily,  and  at 
a  set  hour,  and  took  that  opportunity  to  dis- 
turb their  devotions.  Now  there  is  a  strong 
probability  that  this  was  family  prayer.  It 
might  indeed  have  been  a  prayer-meeting;  but 
look  at  the  circumstances;  it  was  performed 
daily — it  was  attended  at  a  set  hour — Paul 
and  his  companions  were  then  inmates  in  the 


FAMILY   PRAYER.  39 

family  of  Lydia,  who,  with  her  household, 
attended  on  the  service.  Let  it  also  be  con- 
sidered that  it  was  a  time  of  fierce  persecu- 
tion, when  to  pray  was  thought  a  crime,  and 
when  christians  sought  retirement  and  se- 
crecy that  they  might  worship  God  without 
giving  offence.  When  these  considerations 
are  duly  weighed,  a  strong  probability  appears 
that  this  daily  prayer  "at  the  river's  side," 
was  the  family  worship  of  Lydia's  household, 
conducted  for  a  time  by  Paul  and  his  compan- 
ions. 

5.  A  last  argument  to  be  stated  in  proof 
of  the  duty  of  family  prayer,  is  the  light  re- 
flected from  three  texts  of  scripture.  The  first 
is  in  Jeremiah  x.  25,  "Pour  out  thy  fury  upon 
the  heathen  that  know  thee  not,  and  upon  the 
families  that  call  not  on  thy  name."  This  is 
the  prayer  of  the  church  under  aflQiction,  be- 
seeching God  that  if  his  judgments  must  fall, 
they  may  fall  on  those  who  know  him  not,  or 
who,  knowing,  do  not  worship  him.  The  pray- 
erless  family  is  thus  exposed  to  ruin;  a  power- 
ful motive  to  perform  the  duty. 

The  second  scripture  proof  is  found  in  the 
construction  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  "  Our  Fa- 
ther," &c.,  plainly  implying  that  more  than  one 
person  is  present ;  and  yet  it  is  to  be  used 


40  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

every  day,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread/' 
It  is  not  the  duty  to  assemble  in  the  sanctuary 
every  day,  neither  to  meet  for  a  prayer-meet- 
ing every  day ;  but  in  the  family  they  may 
and  ought  to  worship  daily,  and  in  that  capa- 
city may  say  with  propriety,  "  Our  Father — 
give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 

A  third  text  in  proof  of  this  duty,  is  1 
Peter  iii.  7,  "  Likewise,  ye  husbands,  dwell 
^vith  them  according  to  knowledge,  giving  hon- 
our unto  the  wife  as  unto  the  weaker  vessel, 
and  as  being  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of 
life;  that  your  prayers  be  not  hindered." 
Here  we  observe  that  the  apostle  exhorts  hus- 
bands to  behave  with  kindness  and  fidelity  to 
their  wives,  rendering  them  due  honour,  duly 
considering  the  weakness  and  delicacy  of  their 
frame,  adding  as  a  reason,  "  That  your  prayers 
be  not  hindered."  This  must  refer  to  family 
prayer,  as  none  other  w^ill  apply.  Family 
quarrels  could  not  prevent  a  person  from 
praying  in  secret,  neither  from  going  to  the 
sanctuary,  nor  to  a  prayer-meeting,  but  family 
prayer  might,  and  probably  would  be  disturbed, 
and  perhaps  be  prevented  altogether  by  quar- 
rels between  a  man  and  his  wife. 

When  we  thus  consider  the  divine  institu- 
tion of  families;  and  the  duties  which  naturally 


FAMILY   PRAYER.  41 

grow  out  of  that  state ;  when  we  consider 
that  all  families  have  at  times  special  wants  to 
urge,  and  mercies  to  acknowledge  ;  when  we 
consider  the  example  of  holy  men  of  old,  as 
^  well  as  the  direct  testimony  of  the  word  of 
God,  the  weight  of  argument  for  the  duty 
must  be  allowed  to  be  very  convincing. 

In  addition  to  the  direct  arguments  in 
favour  of  family  prayer,  there  are  some 
peculiar  advantages  of  the  duty.  We  name 
two.  1.  It  will  make  men  lead  more  godly 
lives.  No  man  can  run  so  easily  into  sin 
during  the  day,  who  has  in  the  morning 
prayed  with  his  family.  It  will  make  him 
watchful  over  his  conduct.  He  will  feel  that 
the  eyes  of  his  family  are  upon  him,  and  that 
they  will  notice  his  inconsistency  if  he  walks 
irregularly.  Infidelity  itself  always  pays  one 
tribute  to  Christianity ;  that  is,  to  confess  its 
purity,  and  to  declare  that  it  cannot  consist 
with  a  wicked  life ;  and  hence  every  man 
knows  that,  when  he  departs  from  correct 
practice  on  any  point  where  the  gospel  pre- 
cepts are  plain,  he  will  forfeit  his  character 
with  the  world.  These  considerations  will 
impress  the  mind  of  a  man  who  establishes 
prayer  in  his  family,  for  he  will  very  soon 
leave  off  to  sin,  or  leave  off  to  pray. 


42  THOUGHTS   ON   PTIAYEK. 

A  second  advantage  of  the  duty  of  family 
worship  is,  that  it  gives  weight  to  parental 
authority,  and  greatly  assists  a  man  in  the 
government  of  his  family.  By  daily  assem- 
bling the  family,  and  uniting  with  them  in 
supplication  to  the  Author  of  all  mercy,  pa- 
rents obtain  an  ascendency  over  the  minds  of 
children  and  domestics,  which  they  could 
hardly  obtain  in  any  other  way.  The  holi- 
ness which  their  chai'acters  assume,  and  the 
dignified  stand  which  they  thus  take,  as  a 
priest  in  their  house,  gives  them  a  consequence 
in  the  sight  of  their  families,  which  is  almost 
indispensable,  either  for  instruction  or  reproof. 

Having,  as  we  think,  established  the  duty 
of  maintaining  family  worship,  it  seems  proper 
to  give  a  few  directions  for  its  more  orderly 
performance.  Many  of  these  directions  will 
readily  suggest  themselves  to  the  mind  of 
every  devout  and  thoughtful  man,  such  as  the 
place  where,  the  subject  matter,  and  the 
manner  of  the  duty.  A  few  other  things  may 
be  named. 

When  shall  the  duty  be  performed  ?  Morn- 
ing and  evening  seem  to  be  suitable  seasons, 
and  are  recognized  as  such  in  the  Bible.  God 
directed  Moses  to  make  an  altar  for  the  burn- 
ing of  incense,  and  commanded  thus  :  **  And 


FAMILY   PRAYER.  43- 

Aaron  shall  burn  thereon  sweet  incense  every 
morning ;  when  he  dresseth  the  lamps,  he 
shall  burn  incense  upon  it.  And  when  Aaron 
lighteth  the  lamps  at  even,  he  shall  burn 
incense  upon  it;  a  perpetual  incense  before 
the  Lord  throughout  your  generations."  Exod. 
XXX.  7,  8.  This  service  very  strikingly 
shadowed  forth  morning  and  evening  prayer; 
for  though  the  priest  only  was  concerned  in 
the  tabernacle,  yet  it  was  the  custom  for  the 
whole  multitude  to  be  praying  without  at 
the  time  of  the  offering  of  the  incense.  Luke 
i.  10. 

But  we  have  another  text  still  more  to  the 
purpose.  Among  the  special  commands  of 
God  to  Moses,  and  through  him  to  the  people, 
we  have  the  following :  "  Now  this  is  that 
which  thou  shalt  offer  upon  the  altar :  two 
lambs  of  the  first  year  day  by  day  continually. 
The  one  lamb  thou  shalt  offer  in  the  morning, 
and  the  other  lamb  thou  shalt  offer  at  even." 
Exod.  xxix.  38,  39.  This  very  strikingly 
exhibits  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifice  of 
the  family ;  and  to  testif}^  the  delight  which 
he  took  in  the  service  God  was  pleased  to 
add,  "  This  shall  be  a  continual  burnt  offering 
throughout  your  generations  at  the  door  of 
the  tabernacle  before  the  Lord ;  when  I  will 


44  THOUGHTS   ON  PRAYER. 

meet  with  you,  to  speak  there  unto  thee. 
And  there  will  I  meet  with  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  the  tabernacle  shall  be  sanctified 
by  my  glory." 

Daily  sacrifice  is  often  mentioned  in  the 
scriptures.  Thus  the  psalmist  :  "  So  will  I 
sing  praise  to  thy  name  for  ever,  that  I  may 
daily  perform  my  vows."  Psalm  Ixi.  8.  So 
Wisdom:  "Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth 
me,  watching  daily  at  my  gates."  Prov.  viii. 
34.  So  the  prophet :  "  Thou  shalt  daily  pre- 
pare a  burnt  offering  unto  the  Lord,  of  a  lamb 
of  the  first  year  without  blemish ;  thou  shalt 
prepare  it  every  morning."  Ezekiel  xlvi.  13. 
Daniel  mentioned  the  evening  as  a  stated  time 
of  prayer,  calling  it  "  the  evening  oblation," 
when  the  angel  Gabriel  came  to  him  with  a 
divine  communication.     Dan.  ix.  21. 

From  these  testimonies,  it  seems  plain  that 
morning  and  evening  are  suitable  times  for 
family  worship;  and  in  addition  to  these,  it 
should  be  considered,  that  in  the  morning  we 
need  the  blessing  of  God  on  our  lawful  under- 
takings through  the  day,  as  well  as  his  aid 
and  direction ;  and  that  at  night  we  need  his  for- 
giveness of  sins  committed,  and  his  presence 
and  protection  while  we  sleep.  It  seems 
proper  to  add  that  family  prayers  should  not 


FAMILY   PRAYER.  45 

be  protracted  to  an  immoderate  length,  as  the 
service,  returning  as  it  does  every  morning 
and  evening,  might  in  that  case  become  tire- 
some to  the  younger  members  of  the  family  ; 
but  if  short,  and  direct  to  the  subject  in  hand, 
it  would  be  a  pleasant  duty  in  which  all 
would  readily  join.  And  may  we  not  very 
properly  suggest  here,  that  the  evening  pray- 
ers of  a  family  should  be  attended  at  an  early 
hour,  before  the  younger  members  of  the 
family  shall  have  retired  to  rest,  and  before 
he  wdio  is  to  lead  in  the  duty,  shall  have 
become  dull  and  heavy  through  fatigue  and 
sleep  ? 

One  more  direction  is  important.  If  practi- 
cable, let  every  member  of  the  family,  children 
and  domestics,  attend  the  family  devotions. 
If  it  is  a  duty  to  worship  God  in  the  family, 
that  duty  is  binding  on  every  member  of  the 
family ;  and  if  it  is  viewed  as  a  privilege  thus 
to  worship  God,  every  one  should  share  the 
blessing.  The  domestic  arrangements  of  every 
family  should  be  made  with  reference  to  this 
duty,  so  that  every  person  in  the  house  may 
have  opportunity  to  bow  down  at  the  family 
altar. 

The  arguments  for  family  prayer  have  thus 
been   stated,    some    advantages    of  the  duty 


46  THOUGHTS   ON    PKAYER. 

spoken  of,  and  some  directions  for  its  orderly 
performance  given.  Direct  objections  to  the 
duty  we  believe  will  not  be  urged,  but  some 
excuses  may  possibly  be  made  by  those  who 
neglect  it,  which  we  will  endeavour  to  remove. 
The  excuses  made  by  those  who  neglect  family 
prayer  are  usually  these  four,  viz : 

1.  "I  have  no  time."  And  pray  what  was 
time  made  for  but  to  serve  God,  and  prepare 
for  eternity?  Those  who  are  in  easy  worldly 
circumstances,  can  surely  afford  time  for  the 
daily  worship  of  God  with  their  famihes ;  and 
if  any  are  poor,  and  need  to  work  very  dili- 
gently and  very  laboriously  to  support  their 
families,  they  may  rest  assured  that  disobedi- 
ence to  God's  known  commands  will  not  in- 
crease their  earnings.  "  The  blessing  of  God 
maketh  rich,"  and  he  would  not  be  likely  to 
withhold  his  blessing  from  those  who  uprightly 
sought  his  favour.  Let  observation  test  this. 
Where  is  the  man  who  makes  conscience  of 
offering  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifice  of 
pra3^erand  praise  in  his  family,  improving  with 
diligence  the  remainder  of  the  day,  who  is  not 
a  thriving  man  ?  And  on  the  contrary,  wher- 
ever we  find  a  slothful  man,  alwa3^s  behind 
hand,  and  bringing  but  little  to  pass,  follow 
that  man  home,  and  you  will  almost  invariably 


FAMILY    PRAYER.  4t 

find  that  he  does  not  pray  with  his  family. 
ActiAdty  and  diligence  in  business  is  far  more 
usually  connected  with  fervency  of  spirit  in  re- 
ligious things,  than  with  its  opposite. 

2.  "I  have  no  gi^ace,  I  cannot  pray  w^ithmy 
family/'  says  the  man,  "  because  I  am  not  con- 
verted." The  sincerity  of  this  excuse  may  be 
somewhat  doubted,  but  admitting  it  as  sincere, 
it  may  be  answered  that  one  sin  A^ill  not  ex- 
cuse another,  and  we  deceive  ourselves  when 
we  rely  on  any  claim  that  we  could  not  make 
at  the  bar  of  God.  You  say  you  are  not  con- 
verted. Admit  this  to  be  the  fact,  w^hat  pre- 
vents it  ?  And  who  is  to  blame  in  the  case  ? 
Hear,  for  a  moment,  the  words  of  a  prophet, 
"Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened,  that 
it  cannot  save,  neither  is  his  ear  heavy,  that 
it  cannot  hear :  But  your  iniquities  have  sepa- 
rated between  you  and  your  God,  and  your 
sins  have  hid  his  face  from  you,  that  he  will 
not  hear."  Isaiah  lix.  1,  2.  It  is  sin,  and 
that  alone,  which  forms  the  barrier  between 
man  and  his  Maker,  and  while  this  is  held  fast, 
men  are  criminal.  The  excuse,  I  have  no  grace, 
rebounds  upon  the  sinner  ;  for  it  is  as  much  as 
to  say,  I  love  sin,  and  I  will  not  give  it  up  that 
I  may  perform  a  duty  which  God  requires. 

3.  "I  have  no  gifts."  This  excuse  would  be 
of  weight  to  one  who  had  not  the  use  of  speech. 


48  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

but  to  no  other.  As  it  regards  prayer  in  the 
sanctuary,  or  in  the  social  circle,  gifts  are  to  be 
consulted,  as  they  are  of  some  importance;  and 
in  the  family,  gifts  are  desirable,  but  not  in- 
dispensable. All  that  is  absolutely  necessary 
is  a  knowledge  of  our  wants  and  a  power  to 
express  them.  This  the  most  ignorant  man 
possesses.  If  he  is  hungry,  or  thirsty,  or  in 
pain,  or  in  trouble  of  any  kind,  he  finds  no 
difficulty  in  making  it  known  to  his  neighbour. 
This  is  all  that  is  absolutely  needful  in  family 
prayer.  God,  who  knows  the  secret  sigh, 
well  knows  the  groaning  of  the  contrite  heart, 
and  although  the  duty  be  performed  in  ever 
so  broken  a  manner,  he  will  accept,  and  gra- 
ciously answer  it. 

4.  When  driven  from  every  other  hold,  the 
man  who  neglects  family  prayer,  has  usually 
in  reserve  one  more  excuse  :  "  I  am  so  diffident," 
he  will  say,  ^'that  I  could  not  go  through  wdth 
the  duty."  Did  you  ever  try  ?  Probably  there 
was  never  yet  a  person  who,  having  summoned 
his  family,  and  read  a  portion  of  scripture,  and 
then  attempted  to  pray,  could  not  succeed. 
Where  there  is  a  willing  mind.,  God  will  be- 
stow proportionate  strength  ;  and  often  a  duty 
commenced  with  very  great  trembling,  is,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  made  lighter  and  lighter,  till 
it  becomes  pleasant  and  delightful. 


SOCIAL   PRAYER.  49 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SOCIAL   PRAYER. 

When  we  speak  of  social  prayer,  or  "  prayer 
meetings,"  the  question  will  immediately  come 
up,  whether  there  is  any  scriptural  authority 
for  such  services.  It  is  readily  allowed  that 
we  have  no  explicit  command  for  this  duty. 
For  many  other  duties  there  is  in  the  Bible  a 
plain,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord."  For  secret 
prayer,  family  pi^ayer,  and  public  prayer  in 
the  sanctuary,  the  commands  are  explicit,  and 
no  man  can  neglect  either  of  them  and  be 
guiltless ;  but  in  relation  to  social  prayer-meet- 
ings there  is  not  a  distinct  command,  and  a 
man  may  walk  acceptably  to  God  who  attends 
no  meeting  for  social  prayer.  We  have  no 
right  therefore  to  judge  any  man  in  relation  to 
this  duty,  much  less  to  condemn  him,  as  we 
might  if  he  neglected  prayer  in  his  closet,  in 
his  family,  or  in  the  sanctuary.  The  loss 
would  be  his  own,  and  it  would  be  a  serious 
loss  both  of  comfort  and  edification  5  but  he 
5 


50  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

might  be  a  true  child  of  God  notwithstanding. 
While  we  make  this  admission,  we  think  it 
can  be  clearly  shown  that  we  have  authority 
for  holding  such  meetings,  and  that  there  is 
a  manifest  advantage  in  attending  them. 

The  authority  for  social  prayer-meetings 
may  be  gathered  from  three  sources,  viz : 

1.  Christ  engages  his  blessing  upon  such 
meetings  by  granting  the  requests  made  there. 
"If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touch- 
ing any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 
done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  Matt,  xviii.  19.  So  runs  the  promise. 
Now  although  an  agreement  in  prayer  might 
be  made  and  carried  into  effect  by  two  or 
more  persons  in  their  closets,  separated  from 
each  other,  yet  it  is  far  more  natural  to  sup- 
pose such  persons  coming  together,  and  with 
a  joint  voice  presenting  their  petitions  to  God. 
Had  not  our  Lord  approved  of  such  meetings, 
we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  he  would  have  pro- 
mised to  hear  and  answer  such  joint  requests. 

2.  Christ  promises  his  presence  in  meetings 
for  social  prayer.  "Where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in 
the  midst  of  thein."  Matt,  xviii.  20.  A  sim- 
ilar promise  was  given  by  our  Lord  to  his  dis- 
ciples just  before  his  ascension  to  glory;  "  Go 


SOCIAL   PRAYER.  51 

ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature — and  lo,  I  am  with  you  al- 
way."  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  Did  not  our  Lord  in 
thus  engaging  his  presence  to  his  disciples 
give  his  approbation  to  their  going  forth  ?  And 
when  he  engages  his  presence  where  two  or 
three  are  assembled  in  his  name,  does  he  not 
sanction  such  a  meeting?  And  did  he  not  make 
good  his  word  to  his  early  disciples  by  grant- 
ing his  personal  presence  repeatedly  to  a  little 
company  of  them  as  they  met  for  social  wor- 
ship, a  few  days  after  his  resurrection  ?  John 
XX.  19,  and  26. 

3.  The  examples  on  sacred  record  are  another 
source  from  which  we  derive  authority  for 
holding  meetings  for  social  prayer.  Daniel 
and  his  three  pious  companions  were  brought 
into  great  straits  when  the  wicked  King  of 
Babylon  demanded  of  them  the  revelation  of 
a  dream  that  he  had  forgotten,  under  penalty 
of  death.  Prayer  was  their  immediate  resort, 
when  Daniel  made  known  the  case.  They 
might  indeed  have  prayed  each  in  his  closet, 
but  from  the  manner  in  which  the  thing  is  re- 
lated, it  seems  more  probable  that  they  prayed 
together,  and  God  hearkened  and  heard,  and 
the  thing  was  revealed  to  Daniel  in  a  night 
vision.    Dan.  ii.  17,  18.  We  have  another  ex- 


62  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

ample  in  the  conduct  of  our  Lord's  disciples. 
As  soon  as  they  saw  him  ascend  up  where  he 
was  before,  and  watched  him  until  a  cloud  re- 
ceived him  out  of  their  sight,  they  assembled 
immediately  for  a  prayer-meeting,  and  con- 
tinued the  duty  daily,  until  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost came,  find  thousands  were  converted. 
Acts  i.  13,  14.  When  Peter  was  confined  in 
prison  by  Herod,  the  disciples  offered  constant 
prayer  for  him,  assembling  together  for  this 
purpose.  Acts  xii.  12.  The  prophet  Zechariah 
records  a  most  striking  prediction  concerning 
this  matter,  even  an  express  agreement  to  hold 
meetings  for  prayer.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts :  It  shall  yet  come  to  pass,  that  there 
shall  come  people,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
many  cities  :  And  the  inhabitants  of  one  city 
shall  go  to  another,  saying,  Let  us  go  speedily 
to  pray  before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the 
Lord  of  hosts :  I  will  go  also.  Yea,  many  peo- 
ple and  strong  nations  shall  come  to  seek  the 
Lord  of  hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  pray  be- 
fore the  Lord."     Zech.  viii.  20—22. 

Considering  these  and  several  other  ex- 
amples, and  considering  that  Christ  engages 
his  presence  where  his  people  assemble,  are 
we  not  safe  in  the  assertion  that  there  is 
full  authority  in  the  scriptures  for  holding 
meetings  for  social  prayer? 


SOCIAL   PRAYER.  53f 

But  this  duty  is  not  only  fully  authorized, 
but  has  many  peculiar  advantages,  of  which 
we  will  recite  a  few. 

1.  Meetings  for  social  prayer  are  useful  to  ex- 
press mutual  wants.  There  is  a  fellowship  in 
feeling  drawn  forth  in  a  meeting  for  social 
prayer,  which  is  not  ordinarily  felt  in  other 
situations.  The  wants  of  one  are  embraced 
in  the  petitions  of  all,  and  a  fellowship  ex- 
cited altogether  becoming  those  who  hope  at 
last  to  mingle  around  the  throne. 

2.  Meetings  for  social  prayer,  especially  when 
joined,  as  they  usually  are,  with  some  confer- 
ence, serve  to  strengthen  the  weak,  and  con- 
firm the  wavering.  "  As  in  water  face  answer- 
eth  to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to  man." 
Prov.  xxvii.  19.  When  the  poor,  tempted, 
doubting  christian  hears  others  express  the 
same  doubts  that  he  feels  himself;  when  he 
hears  them  address  God  in  the  same  broken 
manner  that  he  himself  does,  and  finds  them 
exposed  to  the  same  temptations,  he  is  strength- 
ened, and  encouraged.  The  strong  thus  bear 
the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  both  are  as- 
sisted. 

3.  In  attending  social  meetings  for  prayer, 
christians  drink  into  the  same  spirit.  Not 
unfrequently  the  warmth  of  one  will  be  com- 


54  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

municated  to  the  whole,  and  a  hvely  and 
zealous  christian  will  arouse  others,  and  the 
holy  flame  kindling  from  heart  to  heart  will  burn 
with  an  ardour  which  each  alone  would  never 
have  felt.  As  embers  when  separated  on  the 
hearth  will  die,  but  when  brought  together 
will  communicate  heat  to  each  other,  and  pre- 
sently kindle  into  a  flame,  so  it  is  with  chris- 
tians. A  solitary  individual,  though  truly  pi- 
ous, will  be  very  likely  to  become  dull  and 
spiritless  5  but  let  him  be  brought  into  a  pray- 
ing circle,  and  he  will  soon  be  invigorated,  and 
catching  the  spirit  of  his  more  zealous  brethren, 
■will  soar  upward  as  on  the  wings  of  the  winds. 
So  useful  it  is  for  christians  to  come  together 
and  pray. 

4.  Love  to  God  and  each  other  is  much  in- 
creased among  christians  by  meeting  for  social 
prayer.  The  man  who  prays  devoutly  in  any 
situation  will  lose  sight  of  worldly  objects,  and 
will  mount  upward,  till,  his  spiritual  vision  be- 
coming clear,  heaven  will  almost  be  presented 
without  a  veil ;  and  as  christians  pray  together, 
they  will  pray  for  each  other,  and  pra3dng 
thus  they  will  feel  more  for  each  other,  and 
thus  when  one  member  suffers  all  will  suffer 
with  it.  Thus  love  is  excited,  and  those  who 
are  accustomed  to  pray  together  will  be  distin- 


SOCIAL   PRAYER.  55 

guished  for  their  spirituality  in  the  things  of 
God,  and  for  their  affection  toward  each  other. 
Other  advantages  might  be  named,  such  as  the 
following:  meetings  for  social  prayer  bring 
into  action  that  great  diversity  of  gifts  with 
which  christians  are  endowed;  they  promote 
mutual  instruction ;  they  cause  and  strengthen 
serious  impressions ;  they  are  highly  rational ; 
they  excite  to  more  prayer  in  every  depart- 
ment of  it ;  they  tend  to  mutual  edification ;  they 
are  highly  favourable  to  christian  enjoyment, 
and  they  have  been  greatly  blessed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  * 

The  authority  for  holding  meetings  for  social 
prayer  being  established,  and  the  advantages 
of  attending  them  stated,  it  remains  that  we 
give  a  few  directions  for  the  more  orderly 
conducting  them. 

As  a  great  variety  of  gifts  exists  in  the  church, 
God  having  placed  them  there  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  the  body,  room  should  be  allowed  for 
the  exercise  of  the  whole.  Some  men  are 
strong  and  have  brilliant  gifts,  while  others 
are  weak  and  their  gifts  small,  but  we  should 
no  more  exclude  the  small  gift,  nor  despise  the 
single  talent,  than  we  should  exclude  the  foot 

*  See  these  advantages  drawn  out  at  length  in  Pond's  "  Apol- 
ogy for  Religious  Conferences,"  published  at  Worcester,  Mass. 
in  1817,  pages  17  to  22. 


56  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

from  the  body  because  it  is  not  the  hand, 
nor  the  eye  because  it  is  not  the  ear.  The 
members  of  Christ's  body  are  all  dependent 
on  each  other,  and  even  the  feeble  are  neces- 
sary, and  all  should  be  employed.  1  Cor.  xii. 
14—31. 

In  meetings  for  social  prayer  many  subjects 
will  naturally  come  in,  and  care  should  be 
taken  to  have  no  unnecessary  interference  of 
topics,  and  if  one  is  disposed  of  by  the  bro- 
ther who  leads  first,  let  those  that  come  after 
select  others.  So  did  the  primitive  disciples; 
one  had  a  psalm,  another  a  doctrine,  another 
an  interpretation,  and  all  was  done  to  edifying. 
1  Cor.  xiv.  26—33. 

In  meetings  for  social  worship  where  it  is 
expected  that  many  should  take  part,  the 
prayers  should  be  direct  and  short.  If  but 
one  or  two  prayers  were  expected,  then  per- 
haps men  would  be  justified  in  covering  with 
their  supplications  a  larger  space  ;  but  if,  as  is 
more  usually  the  case,  from  three  to  six  per- 
sons are  expected  in  turn  to  lead  the  devo- 
tions of  the  assembly,  then  it  is  more  edify- 
ing that  a  very  few  topics  be  selected  by  each, 
and  their  petitions  be  confined  mainly  to  these 
topics,  and  the  whole  be  comprised  in  such 
brief  limits  as  that  none  should  tire,  and  wish 
the  prayer  at  an  cud. 


PUBLIC    TRAYER.  57 


CHAPTER    VII. 
PUBLIC   PRAYER. 

Public  worship  is  a  matter  of  vast  import- 
ance. Anciently  God  promised  his  presence 
and  his  blessing  in  the  sanctuary,  and  to  this 
day  he  performs  that  promise  to  his  people. 
This  is  the  promise,  "  In  all  places  where  I  re- 
cord my  name,  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I 
will  bless  thee."  Exodus  xx.  24.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  promise,  the  Shechinah,  or  visi- 
ble glory  of  the  Lord,  always  appeared  on  the 
Tabernacle  in  the  wilderness,  where  God  had 
recorded  his  name,  and  every  communication 
to  the  ancient  church  was  made  there.  Hence 
the  people  of  that  day  were  explicitly  com- 
manded not  to  offer  their  burnt  offerings  in 
every  place,  but  to  bring  them  all  to  the  door 
of  the  Tabernacle.  In  conformity  to  this,  as 
soon  as  Joshua  had  led  the  people  into  the 
promised  land,  the  Tabernacle  was  set  up  in 
Shiloh,  and  all  the  words  of  the  Lord  were 
there  made  known.     When   the  temple  was 


58  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

built  at  Jerusalem,  the  visible  presence  of  the 
Lord  was  removed  there.  The  record  of  the 
transaction  is  striking  :  "  And  it  came  to  pass 
when  the  priests  were  come  out  of  the  holy 
place,  that  the  cloud  filled  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  so  that  the  priests  could  not  stand  to 
minister  because  of  the  cloud ;  for  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  had  filled  the  house  of  the  Lord." 
1  Kings  viii.  10,  11.  And  when  we  trace 
along  the  history  of  the  church  from  its  com- 
mencement, we  shall  find  that  the  most  signal 
displays  of  God's  glory  have  been  made  in  his 
sanctuary,  thus  conferring  a  peculiar  honour 
upon  public  worship,  and  setting  his  seal  to  it 
as  an  institution  of  his  own  appointment.  Here 
he  meets  with  his  people,  here  he  dispenses 
his  favours,  and  here,  as  of  old,  he  communes 
with  his  saints  from  off  his  mercy-seat.  We 
have  not  to  go  up  to  Shiloh,  we  have  not  to 
travel  to  Jerusalem,  but  now,  wherever  there 
is  a  worshipping  assembly,  there  is  the  house 
of  God,  there  is  the  gate  of  heaven.  Well 
did  God,  the  Holy  Ghost,  say  by  David  con- 
cerning the  sanctuary,  "  This  is  my  rest  for 
ever  :  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it." 
Psalm  cxxxii.  14. 

Pubhc  prayer  is  the  most  important  part  of 
th^  worship  of  the  sanctuary.     "  My  house," 


PUBLIC   PRAYER.  59 

said  God, "  shall  be  called  the  house  of  prayer." 
Isaiah  Ivi.  7,  &  Matt.  xxi.  13.  It  is  emphati- 
cally so.  It  is  here  that  people  should  come 
to  pray,  and  it  would  be  the  sanctuary,  the 
house  of  prayer,  though  a  sermon  were  never 
preached  in  it.  The  inquiry  is  then  an  import- 
ant one,  how  are  we  to  view  public  prayer  and 
how  conduct  it,  that  it  may  best  subserve 
God's  glory,  and  our  own  good  ? 

1.  Public  prayer  is  to  be  viewed  as  a  matter 
in  which  we  are  personally  interested.  Many 
are  apt  to  consider  the  prayers  offered  in  pub- 
lic as  pertaining  mainly  to  the  minister,  and 
they  listen  very  civilly,  and  perhaps  devoutly, 
but  after  all,  it  is  more  to  hear  the  minister 
pray  than  to  pray  themselves.  But  this  is  an 
error.  Prayer  is  a  personal  thing,  and  whether 
offered  in  the  social  meeting  or  the  sanctuary, 
it  should  be  considered  as  an  individual  matter. 
Every  one  should  come  here  to  pray,  and  the 
one  who  leads  the  devotions,  should  be  consid- 
ered merely  as  the  mouth  of  others.     Hence, 

2.  In  prayers  where  many  are  joining, 
whether  it  be  in  the  social  meeting  or  the  pub- 
lic sanctuary,  no  unsuitable  matter  should  be 
introduced,  much  less  anything  that  can  divide 
the  feeling;  and  he  who  leads  the  devotions, 
should  be  careful  so  to  frame  his  language  that 


60  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

the  audience  can  consistently  give  their  assent 
to  every  petition.  The  prayers  offered  in  pub- 
lic by  some  men  are  sometimes  filled  vvith  doc- 
trinal instruction,  or  with  exhortations,  both 
intended  for  those  around  them,  yet  offered  to 
God  as  petitions ;  and  even  reproofs  are  some- 
times administered  in  this  way,  and  arrows 
are  shot  upward  with  an  intention  that  they 
should  come  down.  Any  one  who  will  reflect 
on  this,  must  see  that  there  is  great  impro- 
priety in  the  practice.  The  grand  design  of 
all  prayer  is  to  express  to  God  in  a  humble, 
earnest,  and  yet  simple  manner,  the  desires 
and  emotions  of  the  heart.  Doctrinal  instruc- 
tion, exhortation,  and  reproof,  are  all  proper 
in  their  place,  but  pubhc  prayer  is  not  the  place 
for  them.  Neither  should  matters  relating  to 
individuals  or  families,  be  brought  into  public 
prayer,  unless  it  is  specially  requested,  or  some 
peculiar  circumstances  call  for  it.  We  should 
give  to  every  thing  its  proper  place.  In  secret, 
we  may  freely  disclose  before  God  every 
thought  of  the  heart;  in  the  family,  the  things 
pertaining  to  that  relation  may  be  introduced ; 
but  in  the  social  circle,  and  in  public,  the  peti- 
tions should  be  such  as  all  can  join  in  without 
confusion  of  thought,  or  division  of  feeling. 
3.  In  public  prayer  there  should    be   felt 


PUBLIC    PRAYER.  6l 

and  exhibited  the  deepest  reverence,  insomuch 
that  there  should  be  a  cautious  use  made  of 
the  names,  titles,  attributes,  and  perfections 
of  Jehovah.  We  should  never  be  unmindful 
that  we  are  on  earth,  and  that  God  is  in 
heaven ;  that  we  are  unholy  and  sinful,  and 
he  pure  and  spotless ;  and  therefore  that  our 
words  should  be  well  chosen,  the  most  simple, 
direct,  and  unincumbered  language  being  on 
all  accounts  the  proper  style  of  prayer.  Je- 
hovah is  a  great  King,  and  therefore  in  our 
most  endearing  addresses,  we  should  not  fail 
to  reverence  the  fearful  name  of  the  Lord  our 
God. 

4.  Deep  thought  should  characterize  all 
public  prayers.  The  words  of  prayer  should 
come  from  a  composed  heart,  and  not  be  the 
result  of  sudden  heat  or  passion.  The  di- 
rection of  Solomon  is  in  point :  "  Be  not  rash 
with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thine  heart  be 
hasty  to  utter  anj^thing  before  God."  Eccl.  v. 
2.  When  we  speak  to  Jehovah  in  prayer,  we 
should  be  cautious  not  to  utter  anything 
crude  and  undigested.  How  should  we  re- 
prove the  man  who,  having  a  petition  to  pre- 
sent to  the  ruler  of  the  land,  or  to  the  congress 
of  the  nation,  should  burst  into  the  audience 
chamber,  and  talk  away  at  random  in  the 
6 


62  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

most  familiar  and  unmannerly  style!  We 
should  expect,  of  course,  that  he  would  disgust 
those  he  addressed,  and  utterly  fail  in  his 
application.  Far  more  improper  is  it  for  us 
to  rush  into  the  presence  of  God,  and  utter 
ourselves  to  him  without  thought 

5.  Prayer  is  no  place  for  a  man  to  play  the 
orator,  and  to  launch  out  into  fine  speaking; 
and  it  is  perfectly  disgusting  to  hear  a  man 
pray  who  is  evidently  labouring  to  display  his 
learning,  his  ingenuity,  or  his  orthodoxy.  We 
sometimes  hear  prayers  commended  as  fine 
specimens  of  eloquence,  commendations  utterly 
out  of  place ;  for  true  pra,yer  does  not  consist 
in  beautiful  language,  and  finely  turned  periods, 
but  in  the  offering  up  of  our  desires  to  God, 
for  such  things  as  we  need  ;  and  this  is  always 
more  acceptable  to  the  pious  mind — listening 
and  joining  in  it — when  couched  in  plain  and 
humble  language.  Equally  improper  is  a 
studied  attempt  at  variety  and  originality  in 
prayer,  which  is  sometimes  apparent  in  those 
who  lead  in  public  devotions.  Some  seem  to 
imagine  that  they  must  never  use  the  same 
expression  twice,  and  will. use  as  much  effort 
to  vary  their  language  in  prayer,  and  to  make 
it  beautiful,  and  classical,  and  logical,  and 
original,  as  if  they  were  addressing  an  audi- 


PUBLIC   PRAYER.  63 

ence  of  mortals,  and  not  the  great  Hearer  of 
prayer.  This  is  manifestly  wrong.  It  is  Je- 
hovah who  is  addressed  in  prayer,  and  a  sense 
of  his  presence  should  make  us  afraid  of 
anything  calculated  for  a  mere  effect  on  an 
auditory,  when  we  are  addressing  the  majesty 
of  high  heaven.  When,  therefore,  we  are  the 
mouth  of  others  in  prayer,  as  in  s.  public  as- 
sembly, or  in  a  more  private  circle,  it  is  im- 
portant, for  the  edification  of  the  whole,  that 
nothing  should  be  said  calculated  to  divide 
and  distract  the  feeling  of  the  audience  ;  and 
thus  far  the  language  of  prayer  should  be 
studied,  and  the  speaker  should  not  allow 
himself  to  use  expressions  wounding  to  the 
feelings  of  any,  or  even  questionable  in  their 
allusions;  much  less  should  he  use  objectionable 
language,  or  any  expressions  which  may  lead 
those  who  are  professedly  joining  in  prayer, 
to  leave  off  praying  themselves,  in  order  to 
gaze  after  him,  and  see  where  he  will  come 
out.  All  such  improprieties  should  be  avoided 
by  those  who  lead  in  pubhc  prayer. 


6^  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE   POWER  OF   PRAYER. 

One  striking  characteristic  of  prayer,  as  of- 
fered by  the  renewed  people  of  God,  is  its 
wonderful  power.  This  was  exemplified  in  the 
case  of  many  holy  men  of  old.  As  they  prayed, 
they  had  power  with  God  and  did  prevail. 
We  are  not  to  infer  hence  that  man  is  stronger 
than  God :  so  far  from  it  he  is  in  himself  a 
weak  and  miserable  creature.  But  in  great 
condescension  God  endows  him  with  spiritual 
power,  and  enables  him  to  become  prevalent 
at  the  mercy-seat.  We  shall  understand  this 
better  by  looking  at  a  few  scriptural  examples. 
Abraham's  prayer  for  Sodom  furnishes  one 
very  striking  example  of  the  power  of  a  pray- 
ing man  with  God.  Jehovah  had  revealed  to 
the  patriarch  his  purpose  of  destroying  the 
wicked  city,  for,  as  he  said,  he  would  not  hide 
from  Abraham  the  thing  that  he  was  about  to 
do.  The  holy  man  was  greatly  moved  at  the 
communication,  and  when  the  heavenly  messen- 


THE   POWER   OF   PRAYER.  65 

ger  left  him,  he  was  reluctant  to  leave  the 
place,  but  "  stood  yet  before  the  Lord,"  and 
gave  himself,  to  prayer.  "And  Abraham 
drew  near  and  said,  Wilt  thou  also  destroy  the 
righteous  "with  the  wicked?  Peradventure 
there  be  fifty  righteous  within  the  city;  wilt 
thou  also  destroy  and  not  spare  the  place  for 
the  fifty  righteous  that  are  therein?  That  be 
far  from  thee  to  do  after  this  manner  to  slay 
the  righteous  with  the  wicked;  and  that  the 
righteous  should  be  as  the  wicked,  that  be  far 
from  thee  :  shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth 
do  right?"  Gren.  xviii.  23—25.  What  an  ex- 
ample is  here !  Here  is  a  holy  man  pleading  for 
the  lives  of  a  most  wicked  people.  And  see 
what  arguments  he  uses.  He  addressed  the 
justice  and  the  righteousness  of  God,  and  be- 
sought him  not  to  tarnish  these  bright  perfec- 
tions by  an  indiscriminate  destruction.  His 
prayer  was  prevalent :  he  had  power  with  God, 
and  prevailed.  "  And  the  Lord  said.  If  I  find  in 
Sodom'fifty  righteous  within  the  city,  then  I 
will  spare  all  the  place  for  their  sakes."  Gen. 
xviii.  26.  Again  the  holy  patriarch  humbled 
himself  before  God,  and  addressing  his  mercy 
plead  for  the  devoted  place,  continuing  his  sup- 
plication until  he  obtained  the  promise  of  the 
Lord,  so  that  had  ten  righteous  men  been  found 


68  THOUGHTS   ON   PEAYER. 

in  Sodom,  that  wicked  city  might  have  remained 
till  this  day.     Such  is  the  power  of  prayer. 

We  have  another  example  of  the  power  of 
prayer  in  the  case  of  Jacob,  when  he  was  re- 
turning homeward  to  his  country  and  his  kin- 
dred after  his  long  exile  in  Padan-aram.  When 
Jacob  left  his  home,  Esau  had  threatened  his 
life,  and  though  twenty  years  had  passed,  his 
wrath  was  still  burning,  and  gathering  four 
hundred  armed  men  he  was  marching  forward  to 
wreak  his  vengeance  on  the  defenceless  family. 
With  large  and  princely  gifts,  arranged  with 
much  wisdom,  Jacob  sought  to  appease  his 
brother,  and  open  a  way  into  his  favour  for 
himself  and  his  family.  But  he  did  not  rest 
on  these.  He  knew  a  throne  of  grace,  and 
rested  his  cause  on  a  power  more  than  human. 
As  he  journeyed  on,  just  at  evening  he  came 
to  a  small  river  or  brook,  which  could  be  forded 
by  the  flocks,  and  sent  them  over.  His  wives 
and  children  were  then  safely  passed  over  the 
ford,  but  Jacob  tarried  behind  to  pray.  The 
account  of  this  is  most  graphically  described. 
"And  Jacob  was  left  alone;  and  there  wres- 
tled a  man  with  him,  until  the  breaking  of  the 
day."  Gen.  xxxii.  24 — 29.  A  figurative  ex- 
pression is  used — that  of  wrestling,  but  prayer 
was  doubtless    intended,  and    stripped  of  all 


THE   POWER   OF   PRAYER.  67 

drapery,  we  are  here  presented  with  a  striking 
example  of  a  holy  man  of  God  engaged  in 
praj^er,  making  earnest  supplication,  with  strong 
crying  and  teai^,  and  persevering  therein  until 
an  answer  came :  while  the  Being  with  whom 
he  wrestled  was  the  Messiah,  the  great  An- 
gel of  the  covenant,  anticipating  his  incarna- 
tion. In  close  encounter  the  struggle  pro- 
ceeded until  the  patriarch  prevailed.  "Let 
me  go,"  said  the  holy  Being,  "  let  me  go,  for  the 
daybreaketh;"  but  Jacob  persisted,  saying,  "I 
will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me." 
And  Gfod  blessed  him  there.  He  was  knighted 
on  the  field,  as  men  sometimes  express  it; 
a  mark  of  honour  was  put  upon  him,  and 
in  the  change  of  his  name  to  Israel  a  title 
was  given  him  to  stand  till  the  end  of  time. 
He  was  no  longer  Jacob,  a  supplanter,  but 
Israel,  a  prince;  he  was  a  prince  who  had 
power  with  Grod,  and  was  destined  to  pre- 
vail,    ^uch  again  is  the  power  of  prayer. 

Another  instructive  example  of  the  power 
of  prayer  is  that  of  Moses.  The  people  had 
sinned  in  making  the  golden  calf,  and  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  waxed  hot  against  them ;  but 
Moses  gave  himself  unto  prayer.  "  Let  me 
alone,"  said  God,  "  that  I  may  consume  them ; 
and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation."     Ex- 


68  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

odus  xxxii.  10.  But  Moses  would  not  desist, 
but  continued  to  urge  his  suit,  founding  his 
argument  on  the  truth  of  God,  who  had  bound 
himself  by  covenant  to  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob.  The  argument  was  prevalent,  and 
the  power  of  prayer  was  manifest.  The 
psalmist  thus  regarded  it :  "  Therefore  he  said 
that  he  would  destroy  them,  had  not  Moses 
his  chosen  stood  before  him  in  the  breach,  to 
turn  away  his  wrath,  lest  he  should  destroy 
them."    Psalm  cvi.  23. 

From  these-,  examples  we  learn  the  power 
of  prayer,  and  from  this  consideration  we 
should  be  induced  to  engage  oftener  and  more 
heartily  in  the  duty.  Would  we  obtain  the 
favour  of  God  unto  hfe  eternal,  we  should 
spread  out  our  cause  at  the  mercy-seat,  and 
rest  not  until  we  obtain  the  blessing. 


PLEADING    IN   TRAYER.  69 


CHAPTER    IX. 
PLEADING   IN   PRAYER. 

When  Job  was  suffering  under  the  pressure 
of  Jehovah's  hand,  and  at  the  same  time  ac- 
cused by  his  friends  of  the  basest  hypocrisy ; 
forsaken  as  he  seemed  to  be  by  all  the  world, 
he  determined  no  more  to  appeal  to  any  human 
tribunal,  but  laid  open  his  case  before  God. 
His  language  was  that  of  distress :  "  Oh  that  I 
knew  where  I  might  find  him  !  that  I  might 
come  even  to  his  seat!  I  would  order  my 
cause  before  him,  and  fill  my  mouth  with  ar- 
guments."    Job  xxiii.  3,  4. 

Every  christian  has  some  experience  of 
these  feelings.  His  reliance  is  on  God,  and 
prayer  is  his  most  interesting  employment, 
especially  when  he  can  come  with  freedom  to 
the  mercy-seat,  and  plead  with  God  as  a  man 
would  plead  with  his  friend.  When  christians 
thus  come  before  God,  they  have  a  cause  to 
plead;  and  God  graciously  allows  them  the 
use  of  many  arguments  These  two  thoughts 
may  usefully  be  followed  out. 


70  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYEK. 

1.  Christians  e»gaging  in  prayer  have  a 
cause  to  plead  before  God.  Although  the 
christian  hopes  he  has  been  the  subject  of  a 
renewing  change,  arid  has  truly  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  and  although  he  hopes  for  final 
salvation  through  a  Redeemer,  yet  many  cir- 
cumstances conspire  to  make  him  tremble  for 
himself.  He  finds  within  him  an  evil  heart  of 
unbelief  prompting  him  to  depart  from  the 
living  God  ;  he  finds  an  unsubdued  nature, 
and  affections  unsanctified,  and  constantly  in- 
clined to  rest  on  sinful  objects ;  he  finds  the 
world  is  casting  its  flattering  lures  in  his  path, 
and  striving  to  draw  him  aside ;  and  added  to 
all  the  rest,  that  the  adversary  of  souls  is  mak- 
ing some  of  his  sharpest  attacks  on  those  over 
whom  he  is  apprehensive  of  losing  his  power. 
These  circumstances  often  distress  a  child  of 
God,  and  lead  him  to  fear  lest  he  has  been  de- 
ceived in  his  hope,  or  lest  he  should  make 
shipwreck  of  the  faith,  and  become  a  casta w^ay. 
Hence  his  own  personal  case  is  one  cause  that 
he  has  to  plead  when  he  appears  at  the  mercy- 
seat. 

Again,  the  spiritual  welfare  of  others  lies 
near  the  heart  of  a  christian,  and  will  also  fur- 
nish a  subject,  on  account  of  which  he  will  ear- 
nestlj^  plead  wdth  God.     The   christian   has 


PLEADING    IN   PRAYER.  71 

been  taught  the  worth  of  his  own  soul.  Well 
does  he  remember  the  "  wormwood  and  the 
gall/'  as  he  reflects  on  the  time  when  convic- 
tions first  seized  his  mind,  and  when  he  viewed 
his  own  precious  soul  exposed  to  destruction. 
Well  does  he  recollect  how  anxiously  he  then 
sought  the  Lord,  and  with  what  vehemence  he 
desired  to  obtain  evidence  that  he  had  passed 
from  death  unto  life,  while  his  deliberate  judg- 
ment now  teaches  him  that  he  would  not  be 
profited  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  his  own  soul.  With  these  views  of  the  im- 
portance of  salvation,  taught  him  both  by  expe- 
rience and  observation,  the  christian  feels  sen- 
sibly for  those  around  him.  Perhaps,  like 
Paul  at  Athens,  his  lot  has  fallen  in  some  place 
where  he  is  surrounded  by  men  who  are  seek- 
ing the  world,  to  the  neglect  of  their  souls. 
Perhaps  his  own  near  friends  are  unconverted. 
He  may  be  the  christian  parent  of  ungodly 
children,  or  a  pious  child  in  some  worldly  and 
wicked  family,  or  his  brethren  and  sisters  are 
living  impenitent,  and  without  God  in  the 
A^orld.  Every  such  case  will  distress  the 
christian,  and  he  will  feel  that  he  has  a  cause 
to  argue  before  God ;  and  often  under  its  pres- 
sure, he  will  cry  out  with  the  prophet,  "  Oh, 
that  my  head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes  a 


72  THOUGHTS    ON   PRAYER. 

fountain  of  tears,  that  I  might  weep  day  and 
night,  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of  my  peo- 
ple!" Jer.  ix.  1.  Nor  is  this  all,  for  again, 
the  cause  of  Christ  on  earth  is  another  sub- 
ject which  engrosses  the  feelings  of  God's 
people,  and  furnishes  a  fruitful  theme  for  plead- 
ing with  God.  The  christian  feels  a  unity  of 
interest  with  this  cause,  and  says  of  it,  as  the 
captive  Jews  in  Babylon  said  of  their  holy 
city,  "  If  I  forget  thee,  0  Jerusalem,  let  my 
right  hand  forget  her  cunning.  If  I  do  not  re- 
member thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the 
roof  of  my  mouth,  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem 
above  my  chief  joy."  Psalm  cxxxvii.  5,  6. 
Pleading  thus  at  the  throne  of  grace  for  them- 
selves, for  those  around  tKem,  and  for  the 
cause  of  religion  on  earth,  God  allows  his  peo- 
ple in  the  use  of  many  arguments,  which, 
in  great  mercy,  he  has  made  prevalent  with 
himself;  and  we  will  now  consider  a  few  of 
the  arguments  which  may  with  propriety  be 
used  in  pra3^er,  when  we  are  pleading  with  God. 
God  has  so  constructed  the  plan  of  his  grace 
as  to  bestow  on  his  people  a  spirit  of  prayer 
for  those  blessings  which  he  designs  to  grant, 
and  hence  puts  into  their  mouths  and  into 
their  hearts,  such  arguments  as  he  intends 
shall  be  prevalent  with  himself     When,  there- 


PLEADING    IN   PRAYER.  73 

fore,  christians  approach  the  mercy-seat,  hoping 
to  prevail  with  the  great  Hearer  of  prayer, 
they  should  "order  their  cause"  by  using 
such  arguments  as  he  has  sanctioned  in  his 
word.     As, 

1.  The  several  perfections  of  God  may  be 
referred  to  in  prayer,  and  used  as  arguments 
successfully  before  the  Lord.  Jehovah  has 
been  pleased  to  reveal  in  his  word,  many  bright 
perfections  belonging  to  himself.  Truth,  right- 
eousness, justice,  mercy,  goodness,  power, 
might,  and  dominion,  and  many  other  virtues 
and  qualities,  both  natural  and  moral,  are  in 
various  parts  of  the  Bible  ascribed  to  Jehovah. 
For  the  honour  of  these  perfections  he  is  ex- 
'ceedingly  jealous,  and  everything  that  affects 
them  he  regards  with  lively  interest.  Hence 
it  is  that  christians  may  plead  with  God  suc- 
cessfully in  prayer  by  adverting  to  his  perfec- 
tions, and  showing  how  they  would  be  ex- 
hibited clearly,  or  obscured,  as  the  nature  of 
the  subject  in  question  might  demand.  This 
was  often  done  by  the  saints  of  old.  The 
prayers  of  Abraham  and  Moses,  to  which  we 
have  already  alluded  as  examples  of  the  power 
of  prayer,  were  constructed  in  this  way ;  but 
other  striking  examples  may  be  given.  The 
memorable  prayer  of  Solomon  at  the  dedica- 


74  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

tion  of  the  temple,  was  marked  in  this  way. 
Let  us  hear  him :  "  And  Solomon  stood  before 
the  altar  of  the  Lord  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
congregation  of  Israel,  and  spread  forth  his 
hands  toward  heaven  :  and  he  said,  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  there  is  no  god  like  thee,  in  heaven 
above,  or  on  earth  beneath,  who  keepest  cove- 
nant and  mercy  with  th}^  servants  that  walk 
before  thee  with  all  their  heart;  who  hast 
kept  with  thy  servant  David  my  father  that 
thou  promisedst  him :  thou  spakest  also  with 
thy  mouth,  and  hast  fulfilled  it  with  thine 
hand,  as  it  is  this  day."  1  Kings  viii.  22-24. 
Here  we  perceive  that  Solomon  addressed  him- 
self to  God  as  a  covenant-keeping  God,  as  a 
God  of  truth,  whose  promise  might  be  relied 
on,  and  on  that  he  founds  his  argument.  And 
through  the  whole  of  that  long  prayer  refer- 
ence is  constantly  made  to  the  perfections  of 
God  as  displayed  in  his  long  suffering,  his  truth 
in  keeping  covenant,  and  his  mercy  to  men. 
Thus  did  Solomon  plead  with  Jehovah.  The 
prayer  of  king  Jehoshaphat  presents  us  with 
another  example  of  the  same  kind.  He  was 
in  trouble  because  a  multitude  of  enemies  were 
coming  against  him,  and  he  knew  that  if  they 
prevailed,  God  would  be  dishonoured  ;  and  he 
therefore   based   his   requests    on   that  fact ; 


PLEADING  IN   PRAYER.  75 

^^  And  Jehoshaphat  stood  in  the  congregation 
of  Judah,  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  said, 
Art  thou  not  God  in  heaven,  and  rulest  not 
thou  over  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  heathen  ? 
and  in  thy  hand  is  there  not  power  and  might? 
And  now  behold  the  children  of  Ammon,  and 
Moab,  and  Mount  Seir,  whom  thou  wouldest 
not  let  Israel  invade  when  they  came  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  behold,  I  say,  how  they 
reward  us,  to  come  to  cast  us  out  of  thy  pos- 
session, which  thou  has  given  us  to  inherit.  0 
our  God,  wilt  thou  not  judge  them  ?"  2  Chron. 
XX.  5-12.  In  this  prayer  the  pious  king  ap- 
peals to  the  power  and  dominion  of  God,  as 
ruling  over  the  heathen;  to  his  faithfulness 
also,  and  to  the  encouragement  he  had  given 
his  people  to  trust  in  him.  It  was  a  prevalent 
plea,  and  God  hearkened  and  heard. 

The  prayers  of  the  pious  Levites  in  the  days 
of  Nehemiah  furnish  other  examples  of  pleading 
in  prayer  with  arguments  taken  from  the  per- 
fections of  God  as  displayed  in  the  providential 
care  of  his  people.  These  pious  men  stood  up 
and  prayed  thus  unto  the  Lord :  "  Thou  art 
the  Lord  the  God,  who  didst  choose  Abram, 
and  broughtest  him  forth  out  of  Ur  of  the 
Chaldees,  and  gavest  him  the  name  of  Abra- 
ham :  and  foundest  his  heart   faithful  before 


76  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

thee,  and  madest  a  covenant  with  him  to  give 
the  land  of  the  Canaanites,  &c."  Neh.  ix.  7,  8. 
And  so  they  go  on  through  a  long  chapter  re- 
counting the  wonders  of  God's  providence  to 
the  people  he  had  chosen,  making  that  the 
ground  of  their  argument.  In  like  manner  the 
psalmist  argued  with  God  in  a  time  of  dis- 
tress :  "  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ? 
Hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ? 
I  will  remember  the  works  of  the  Lord  :  surely 
I  will  remember  thy  wonders  of  old.  I  will 
meditate  also  of  all  thy  work,  and  talk  of  thy 
doings."  Psalm  Ixxvii.  9-12.  Thus  calling 
to  mind  God's  former  mercies,  we  may  appeal 
to  his  faithfulness,  and  making  that  the  ground 
of  our  argument  we  may  offer  acceptable 
prayer,  and  may  prevail.  In  this  w^ay  the 
several  perfections  of  God  may  be  used  in 
prayer,  and  become  prevalent  arguments  with 
him. 

2.  The  glory  of  the  Redeemer  may  be 
made  a  powerful  argument  in  prayer.  God, 
the  Father,  has  resolved  to  glorify  his  Son,  and 
to  effect  this  all  the  plan  of  grace  is  constructed. 
To  advance  the  glory  of  the  Hedeemer,  God 
pours  out  his  Spirit,  whereby  souls  are  con- 
verted ;  Christ  sees  of  the  travail  of  his  soul 
and  is  satisfied,  and  great  glory  redounds  to 


PLEADING   IN   PRAYER.  77 

his  name.  Hence  when  christians  pray,  the 
glory  of  the  Redeemer  is  a  powerful  argument 
to  use  with  God.  This  argument  was  used 
very  successfully  by  the  apostles  in  the  early 
ages  of  the  church.  The  book  of  Acts  re- 
cords several  examples  where  the  disciples 
spread  out  an  argument  founded  on  the  glory 
of  Christ.  The  chief  Priests  and  the  Jews 
generally  opposed  them,  because  they  believed 
on  Christ,  and  glorified  him,  and  confessed  him 
before  men.  His  glory  was  truly  their  chief 
aim,  and  when  they  used  this  as  their  main 
argument  in  prayer  it  prevailed  with  God. 
The  place  was  shaken  where  they  were  as- 
sembled together,  their  prayers  were  heard 
and  answered,  they  were  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  they  spake  the  word  with  boldness, 
they  gave  witness  with  power  to  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus,  and  "  great  grace  was  upon 
them  aU." 

3.  The  glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  another 
argument  which  may  be  used  successfully  by 
the  saints  in  prayer,  especially  his  glory  in 
the  work  of  conversion.  Says  the  psalmist, 
^'  When  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  shall 
appear  in  his  glory."  Psalm  cii.  16.  The 
glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  especially  displayed 
in  the  work  of  conversion,  and  hence  when 


78  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

christians  pray  for  a  revival  of  religion,  or  for 
enlightening  and  divine  teaching  in  their  own 
souls,  they  may  with  much  propriety  use  as 
an  argument  the  glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  will  thereby  be  advanced.  They  may 
describe  the  enlightening  of  the  mind  through 
the  operations  of  the  Spirit,  the  discoveries 
their  own  hearts  thus  obtained,  the  new  dis- 
coveries of  Christ,  and  the  instructions  gained 
from  the  holy  scriptures.  The  great  change 
in  the  mind  of  a  convert  will  thus  be  ascribed 
to  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  his 
work  will  be  distinctly  seen  in  it,  and  this 
being  spread  forth  forms  a  powerful  argument 
before  the  throne  of  eternal  grace. 

4.  The  particular  promises  of  God's  word 
may  in  prayer  be  turned  into  very  prevalent 
arguments  before  his  throne.  He  is  a  God  of 
truth,  and  every  thing  that  he  has  promised 
will  in  due  time  be  fulfilled ;  and  hence  his 
promises  connected  with  his  faithfulness  in 
performance,  form  one  of  the  strongest  argu- 
ments in  prayer.  "  Hath  he  said,  and  shall 
he  not  do  it  ?  or  hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he 
not  make  it  good?"  Numbers  xxiii.  19.  It 
is  a  plea  almost  irresistible.  Daniel  the  pro- 
phet understood  this  argument,  and  used  it  with 
great  effect.     He  and  his  people  were  in  cap- 


PLEADING   m  PRAYER.  79 

tivity  in  Babylon,  and  every  thing  around  them 
looked  exceedingly  dark.  But  Daniel  was  fami- 
liar with  the  scriptures,  and  in  the  prophecies  of 
Jeremiah  he  had  discovered  that  God  had  limit- 
ed the  captivity  of  Judah  to  seventy  years,  and 
could  readily  see  by  calculation  that  the  time 
of  deliverance  was  at  hand.  Dan.  ix.  1 — 3. 
Jer.  XXV.  9 — 12,  and  Jer.  xxix.  10.  The 
faith  of  Daniel  was  greatly  strengthened  as  he 
considered  these  promises,  and  when  he  spread 
them  out  in  prayer  before  God,  the  Lord  heark- 
ened, and  heard,  and  sent  his  angel  with  an 
answer  of  peace.     Dan.  ix.  20 — 23. 

The  apostles  of  our  Lord  understood  this 
way  of  pleading  in  prayer.  As  their  Lord 
had  ascended  to  heaven,  he  had  given  them  a 
promise  of  miraculous  gifts  :  "  Ye  shall  receive 
power,"  said  he,  "  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
come  upon  you  ;"  and  "  ye  shall  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence." 
Acts  i.  5,  8.  As  soon  as  he  was  taken  up 
from  them,  instead  of  sitting  idly  dowm  or 
spending  their  time  in  fruitless  complaints, 
they  continued  in  prayer  day  after  day,  plead- 
ing no  doubt  these  very  promises,  until  the 
day  of  Pentecost  came,  and  thousands  fell  be- 
fore the  irresistible  influences  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 


80  THOUGHTS  ON  PRAYER. 

5.  Passages  of  scripture  which  at  any  time 
have  been  peculiarly  opened  to  our  own  mind, 
and  applied  to  our  own  case,  may  be  success- 
fully used  as  arguments  in  prayer.  David  ap- 
pears to  have  had  this  in  view  when  he  says, 
''  Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servant  upon 
which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope."  Psalm 
cxix.  49.  The  word  of  God  is  made  -^he 
great  instrument  of  awakening  the  soul  in  the 
first  place,  and  then  exciting  hope  in  the  breast 
of  the  penitent.  But  it  is  not  always  the 
same  word,  and  perhaps  it  may  not  be  usual 
for  two  persons  to  be  comforted  in  the  same 
way  or  by  the  same  word.  One  passage 
reaches  the  heart  of  one  person,  and  another 
passage  that  of  a  second ;  and  not  unfrequently 
a  text  is  opened  and  applied  to  one  person  in 
the  most  comforting  manner,  insomuch  that 
the  person  is  ready  to  say  of  such  passages, 
*^  Thy  words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them, 
and  they  were  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my 
heart,"  Jer.  xv.  16,  while  this  same  word 
is  dark  and  comfortless  to  all  around.  Thus 
in  the  most  sovereign  manner  God  arms  his 
word  with  power,  sometimes  for  one  heart,  and 
sometimes  for  another ;  and  hence  some  parts 
of  the  scripture  will  be  more  sweet  to  some 
individuals  than  other  parts,  and  a  text  that 


PLEADma    IN   PRAYER.  81 

has  been  the  means  of  awakening  or  comfort- 
ing any  person  will  always  be  heard  by  that 
person  with  a  thrill  of  delight,  and  such  pas- 
sages may  be  used  by  them  and  plead,  to  far 
more  effect  than  they  could  use  other  texts  ; 
concerning  such  passages  the  mind  is  enlight- 
ened, they  touch  the  heart,  and  become 
powerful  arguments  with  God. 

Such  is  pleading  in  prayer,  and  such  are 
some  of  the  arguments  which  christians  may 
use  successfully  with  their  heavenly  Father, 
and  when  they  plead  his  perfections,  the  glory 
of  the  Redeemer,  the  glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  the  promises  of  his  word,  they  may  hope 
he  will  hear  and  answer  their  requests. 


82  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER    X. 

IMPORTUNITY   IN   PRAYER. 

It  is  wonderful  condescension  in  God  to 
hearken  at  all  to  the  cries  of  fallen  sinners,  and 
he  would  be  fully  justified  should  he  cover 
himself  with  a  cloud,  so  that  our  prayers  should 
not  pass  through.  But  hoAV  merciful  he  is ! 
how  condescending !  how  kind !  He  encou- 
rages his  people  to  pour  out  the  desires  of  their 
hearts  before  him,  to  make  known  their  wants 
in  the  most  familiar  manner,  to  urge  their  suit 
b}^  persuasion  and  argument,  and  becoming  im- 
portunate to  resolve  on  taking  no  denial.  To 
this  course  men  are  exhorted  by  the  prophet : 
"  Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not 
silence,  and  give  him  no  rest,  till  he  establish, 
and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the 
earth."  Isaiah  Ixii.  6,  7.  Such  is  importu- 
nate prayer,  and  to  the  exercise  of  this  duty, 
the  Lord  gives  us  gracious  encouragement.  • 

We  have  already  cited  the  example  of  Ja- 
cob as  he  wrestled  with  the  angel,  as  a  proof 


IMPORTUNITY    IN   PRAYER.  83 

of  the  power  of  prayer;  but  it  was  no  less 
striking  as  an  example  of  importunity.  Several 
things  in  the  account  may  be  noted  as  showing 
this.  It  was  single  combat  between  the  pa- 
triarch and  his  heavenly  assailant,  a  battle 
hand  to  hand,  for  neither  party  had  a  second 
to  take  up  the  contest.  Jacob  was  filled  with 
anxiety  respecting  the  result  of  his  expected 
interview  with  Esau  on  the  coming  day,  and 
God  was  his  only  hope.  When  Jehovah  met 
him  in  the  person  of  the  great  Angel  of  the 
covenant,  he  appeared  for  the  moment  more 
like  an  enemy  than  a  friend,  as  though  he 
would  dispute  the  passage  with  him.  This 
rendered  the  patriarch  more  importunate,  and 
by  his  prayers  and  tears,  by  his  ardent  cries, 
and  strong  actings  of  faith,  he  kept  his  hold 
of  the  divine  Being  whose  personal  presence 
was  granted  him.  Here  was  a  shining  exam- 
ple for  us  to  follow  of  importunate  and  ago- 
nizing prayer  in  any  time  of  trial.  God  could 
easily  have  crushed  this  creature  of  his  power, 
but  instead  of  that  he  was  delighted  with  his 
importunity,  strengthened  him  for  the  conflict, 
and  gave  him  the  victory. 

Such  a  victory  is  of  immense  consequence 
to  every  praying  soul.  It  w^as  a  good  remark 
of  one,  that  "  the  tree  of  life  is  far  better  than 


84  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

the  tree  of  knowledge,"  and  if  by  importunate 
prayer  we  can  obtain  a  blessing  from  God,  it 
is  much  more  to  be  prized  than  all  knowledge 
if  the  blessing  fails. 

Our  Lord's  parable  of  the  unjust  judge  fur- 
nishes another  strong  argument  for  the  exer- 
cise of  importunate  prayer.  It  was  to  urge 
the  duty  that  our  Lord  spake  it.  "And  he 
spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  this  end,  that 
men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint ; 
saying,  There  was  in  a  city  a  judge,  which 
feared  not  God,  neither  regarded  man  :  and 
there  was  a  widow  in  that  city,  and  she  came 
unto  him,  saying,  Avenge  me  of  my  adversary. 
And  he  would  not  for  a  while ;  but  afterward 
he  said  within  himself.  Though  I  fear  not  God, 
nor  regard  man,  yet  because  this  widow  trou- 
bleth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  by  her  con- 
tinual coming  she  weary  me.  And  the  Lord 
said.  Hear  what  the  unjust  judge  saith.  And  shall 
not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day 
and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with 
them?  I  tell  you  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily."  Luke  xviii.  1-8.  This  case,  not 
a  real  one  but  one  supposed,  our  Lord  used 
for  the  encouragement  of  his  praying  people, 
assuring  them  in  this  way  that  faith,  and  fer- 
vency, and  perseverance  would  not  fail  of  sue- 


IMPORTUNITY   IN   PRAYER.  85 

cess.  The  judge  supposed  in  the  parable,  did 
for  a  long  while  frown  upon  the  widow,  taking 
no  notice  of  her  cause,  and  conniving  at  all 
the  wrongs  she  suffered,  and  finally  did  her 
justice  merely  to  be  rid  of  her  importunity. 
Now,  said  our  Lord,  Hear  what  the  unjust 
judge  saith ;  and  shall  not  a  God  of  mercy  do 
better  for  his  renewed  people  than  this  wicked 
man  would  have  done  ?  The  parable  furnishes 
much  encouragement  for  importunity  in  prayer. 
Let  us  analyze  the  encouragement  here  pre- 
sented.   We  are  taught, 

1.  That  God  has  a  people  in  the  world 
whom  he  acknowledges  as  his  own.  He  calls 
them  his  elect,  yea,  "his  own  elect,"  and 
surely  we  need  not  hesitate  to  call  them  so. 
They  are  a  chosen  people,  a  peculiar  people,  a 
praying  people,  and  God's  purposes  are  made 
with  an  eye  to  his  own  glory  in  the  salvation 
of  that  people.  They  are  precious  to  him,  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye,  dear  as  the  lot  of  his 
inheritance. 

2.  We  see  in  this  parable  what  God  requires 
of  his  people  in  order  to  his  granting  their 
requests.  They  must  be  importunate  at  his 
throne ;  they  must  cry  unto  him  day  and 
night.  Not  that  he  needs  their  remonstrances, 
or  can  be  moved  by  their  pleadings ;  but  he 

8 


86  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

has  made  this  their  duty,  and  to  the  exercise 
of  this  duty  he  promises  mercy.  Thus  those 
who  would  succeed  must  become  importunate ; 
they  must  cry  with  earnestness,  and  wrestle 
with  God  as  Jacob  did  with  the  Angel  of  the 
covenant,  holding  him  fast  that  he  should  not 
go  without  bestowing  a  blessing. 

3.  No  discouragements  that  may  appear  for 
the  moment  should  be  allowed  to  turn  us 
aside  from  following  after  God,  and  calling  on 
his  name.  He  may  delay  to  answer  our  re- 
quests for  a  long  season,  until  he  has  brought 
into  exercise  all  our  stock  of  patience.  But 
he  does  this  to  try  us,  and  to  see  if  we  will 
persevere  in  adhering  to  him.  We  have  en- 
couragement to  do  this ;  for, 

4.  We  have  assurance  that  mercy  will  come 
at  last,  "  I  tell  you,"  said  our  Lord,  "  that  he 
will  avenge  them  speedily."  The  encourage- 
ments to  importunate  prayer  may  be  stri- 
kingly illustrated  by  the  case  of  the  widow  in 
the  parable  compared  with  God's  people.  The 
widow  was  a  stranger,  and  in  no  ways  related 
to  the  judge  before  whom  she  brought  her 
cause;  but  God's  praying  people  are  his  own 
elect — a  people  whom  he  knows,  and  whom  he 
loves — a  people  whom  he  delights  in,  and  who 
are  to  him  a  peculiar  treasure.     Again,  the 


IMPORTUNITY  IN  PRAYER.  87 

widow  was  but  one,  a  single  individual,  and  a 
very  obscure  one  too;  but  God's  praying  peo- 
ple are  many,  who  come  to  him  on  the  same 
errand,  at  the  same  time ;  and  as  the  saints  in 
glory  unite  their  hearts  and  voices  in  praise 
around  the  throne  above,  so  the  saints  on 
earth  unite  in  besieging  the  throne  of  grace 
below.  The  widow  also  came  to  an  unjust 
judge,  to  a  most  wicked  man,  who  even  pro- 
claimed his  sin  as  Sodom,  and  gloried  in  his 
wickedness,  acknowledging  that  he  neither 
feared  God  nor  regarded  man;  but  we  come  in 
prayer  to  a  most  righteous  Lord  and  Gover- 
nor, yea,  to  a  most  compassionate  Father,  who 
is  able  and  ready  to  help  us.  And  farther, 
the  widow  stood  alone,  and  had  no  one  so 
much  as  to  speak  for  her ;  while  we  have  a 
glorious  Intercessor,  an  Advocate  with  the  Fa- 
ther, even  Jesus  Christ.  Nor  was  this  all,  for 
the  widow  had  no  promise  of  speeding,  nor 
was  the  least  encouragement  held  out  that  she 
should  succeed,  or  that  even  her  suit  should  be 
entertained ;  but  God  encourages  his  people 
to  ask,  with  his  promise  to  give,  and  even  en- 
courages them  to  ask  great  things,  to  ask 
much,  to  open  their  mouths  wide,  promising  to 
fill  them. 

Probably,  also,  the  judge   was   accessible 


88  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

only  at  particular  times,  when  it  pleased  hira 
to  hold  court,  and  sit  upon  the  judgment  seat; 
but  God's  ear  is  always  open,  and  by  day  or 
night  we  may  call  upon  him,  and  he  will  hear 
our  prayers.  The  importunity  of  the  widow 
was  provoking  to  the  judge.  She  wearied 
him  with  her  suit,  and  his  spirit  was  chafed, 
for  every  time  he  opened  his  court,  lo !  that 
widow  stood  before  him.  He  wished,  no 
doubt,  that  he  could  drive  her  away,  but  she 
would  come,  and  he  had  no  peace  until  he 
took  up  her  cause.  But  it  is  not  so  with  God. 
The  earnestness  and  importunity  of  his  people 
is  pleasing  to  him,  and  he  greatly  delights  in 
those  fervent  prayers  which  his  people  pour 
into  his  ears.* 

The  subject  of  importunate  prayer  is  before 
us.  God  will  have  men  in  earnest  who  pro- 
fess to  seek  him,  and  to  such  efforts,  and  only 
such,  he  gives  his  promise.  It  is  those  who 
strive,  or  agonize  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate  who  will  succeed,  and  none  will  find 
God  unto  final  salvation,  except  they  seek 
him  with  all  their  heart  and  with  all  their 
soul. 

*  See  Henry  on  this  parable. 


CONTmUANCE   IN   PRAYER.  89 


CHAPTER  XI. 
CONTINUANCE  IN  PRAYER. 

There  is  a  strong  tendency  in  human  nature 
to  decline  from  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord, 
and  having  begun  well,  and  run  well  for  a  time, 
to  slide  backward,  and  become  cold  and  care- 
less, to  cast  off  fear,  and  restrain  prayer  before 
God.  But  Jehovah  would  not  have  his  people 
do  thus,  but  would  have  them  not  only  pray 
with  all  manner  of  prayer,  pleading  their  cause 
with  God,  and  becoming  importunate  with  him, 
but  would  have  them  continue  in  the  duty  with 
all  perseverance.  It  is  true  that  God  does  not 
see  fit  always  to  grant  immediate  answers  to 
prayer,  and  sometimes  his  promise  tarries  for 
many  years,  and  when  this  is  so,  mortal  spirits 
will  often  tire  and  faint,  and  sometimes  be- 
come so  impatient  as  to  fret  against  providence, 
and  say  in  the  language  of  an  ancient  com- 
plainer,  "  What,  should  I  wait  for  the  Lord  any 
longer  ?"  2  Kings  vi.  33.  But  true  faith  dic- 
tates a  diiFerent  course  of  conduct,  and  the 
8* 


»Q  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

true  christian  will  not  retire  from  the  mercy- 
seat,  but  when  the  blessing  tarries  he  will  wait 
for  it,  and  continue  in  prayer.  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  were  all  praying  men,  as  well 
as  men  of  eminent  faith,  and  yet  their  long 
lives  were  all  passed,  and  they  went  down  to 
the  grave,  before  the  blessings  promised  them 
were  bestowed.  Yet  they  continued  in  prayer, 
and  although  four  hundred  years  were  to  pass 
before  the  promised  seed  were  to  take  posses- 
sion of  Canaan,  still  they  prayed  on.  Gen. 
XV.  13-16.  Thus  the  blessings  sought  in 
prayer  by  these  patriarchs  were  delayed  in  the 
wisdom  of  God's  providence,  but  they  did  not 
fail,  neither  did  the  faith  of  the  patriarchs  fail, 
but  they  continued  constant  in  prayer  unto  the 
day  of  their  death. 

But  perhaps  it  is  asked.  Why  is  it  that  God 
thus  tries  the  faith  of  his  people,  and  even  dis- 
courages them  by  sometimes  delaying  to  grant 
their  requests  ?     Two  reasons  may  be  assigned. 

1.  Christians  may  not  always  know  what  is 
best  for  them,  and  to  grant  their  requests  just 
as  they  are  offered  may  injure  them  most  es- 
sentially. We  are  short  sighted  at  the  best, 
and  cannot  understand  the  position  which 
things  may  assume  hereafter,  so  that  the  ob- 
ject which  it  seems  desirable  to  possess  to-day, 


CONTINUANCE   IN   PRAYER.  91 

may  become  very  undesirable,  and  perhaps  ab- 
solutely hurtful  to-morrow.  But  God  sees  the 
end  from  the  beginning,  and  therefore,  in  great 
mercy,  when  any  object  is  sought  by  his  peo- 
ple, the  present  possession  of  which  he  sees 
would  be  hurtful,  he  delays  to  grant  it,  looking 
rather  to  the  permanent  benefit  of  the  soul, 
than  to  its  present  gratification. 

2.  God  may  purpose  in  this  way  to  try  the 
graces  of  his  people,  and  show  them  up  to 
themselves,  that  they  may  not  be  high-minded, 
but  fear.  They  may  lack  patience,  or  they 
may  fail  in  submission,  or  they  may  need  more 
humility;  and  to  strengthen  and  invigorate 
these  graces,  the  answer  to  their  prayers  may 
be  delayed,  and  for  a  long  season  they  may 
walk  in  darkness.  Still  God  may  be  near,  and 
his  love  to  the  soul  may  be  as  fervent  as  ever, 
while  he  yet  tries  the  faith  of  his  saints  by  de- 
lays, and  causes  patience  to  have  her  perfect 
work.  Yet  for  all  this,  the  people  of  God 
should  continue  in  prayer,  and  all  who  have 
true  faith  will  not  fail  to  keep  their  hearts  at 
the  mercy-seat.  The  example  of  Ehjah  is  at 
once  striking  and  edifying.  An  awful  judg- 
ment was  desolating  the  land,  and  the  prophet 
prayed  most  earnestly  for  its  removal,  and  not 
only  prayed  earnestly,  but  continued  his  sup- 


92  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

plications,  sending  his  servant  time  after  time 
to  look  out  upon  the  sea  for  the  expected  token 
of  rain,  which  he  fully  believed  God  would 
send  upon  the  earth.  Yery  probably  the  ser- 
vant supposed  that  to  go  once  or  twice  was 
amply  sufficient,  and  w^hen  he  returned  saying, 
"  There  is  nothing,"  he  no  doubt  supposed  the 
prophet  would  cease  praying,  for  a  time,  at 
least.  But  it  was  not  so.  "  Go  again,"  said 
his  master;  yea,  ^^  Go  seven  times."  A  defi- 
nite number  is  here  put  for  an  indefinite  one  ; 
meaning,  probably,  that  he  should  continue  to 
go  until  the  sign  appeared ;  and  at  the  same 
time  Elijah  was  lifting  up  his  soul  to  God  in 
prayer,  and  continuing  his  supplications  before 
him.  1  Kings  xviii.  42-45.  Thus  the  man 
of  true  faith  will  always  do.  He  may  not  al- 
ways feel  the  flow  of  warm  devotion  thrilHng 
in  his  heart,  but  may  even  feel  dull  and  dis- 
consolate; wricked  thoughts  may  spring  up 
within  him,  so  that  his  thoughts  may  seem  to 
him  almost  like  sins,  and  his  tears  and  confes- 
sions like  the  veriest  hypocrisy.  And  yet  if 
he  has  real  faith,  he  will  continue  to  pray,  and 
no  darkness  nor  discouragement  can  keep  him 
from  the  mercy-seat.  There  is  another  im- 
portant reason  why  we  should  continue  in 
prayer ;  it  is  an  evidence  of  the  reality  of  our 


CONTINUAl^CE    IN   PRAYER.  93 

religion.  When  Job  was  accused  by  his  friends 
of  hypocrisy,  he  defended  himself  on  one  occa- 
sion by  an  appeal  to  the  fact  of  his  continuing 
to  pray.  Alluding  to  the  hypocrite,  he  asks 
with  great  emphasis,  "Will  he  always  call 
upon  God  ?"  Job  xxvii.  10,  implying  that 
herein  the  renewed  and  unrenewed  spirit  was 
manifest.  And  such  is  the  fact.  There  are 
many  whose  minds  become  excited  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion,  and  who  thereupon  begin  to 
pray,  and  to  seek  after  God.  Presently  they 
begin  to  hope  that  they  have  found  God,  or 
rather  are  found  of  him,  and  for  a  time  they 
follow  the  ways  of  religion,  continue  to  call 
on  God,  frequent  the  company  of  the  godly, 
appear  very  much  like  christians,  and  enter- 
tain a  hope  that  they  are  such.  But  after 
awhile  it  is  discovered  that  they  do  not  pray. 
Perhaps  ever^^thing  else  is  fair  about  them, 
but  alas !  they  do  not  pray.  Are  they  chris- 
tians ?  Ah  !  we  fear  not.  They  do  not  pray. 
Had  they  continued  to  call  on  God,  we  might 
hope  for  them,  however  dull  and  spiritless  they 
might  seem;  and  we  might  even  overlook  some 
inconsistencies.  But  ah  !  they  do  not  pray. 
Will  they  be  reclaimed,  and  saved  ?  We  can- 
not tell. 

The  praying  people  of  God  will  increase  ia 


94  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

strength.  As  they  continue  to  pray,  God  con- 
tinues to  afford  the  light  of  his  countenance, 
and  to  answer  their  prayers.  He  did  so  when 
the  prophet  lifted  up  his  cries  on  Mount  Carmel. 
He  will  ever  do  thus.  He  has  never  said  to 
the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  my  face,  in  vain ; 
and  though  he  may  delay,  and  for  wise  pur- 
poses try  the  Mth  and  patience  of  his  people, 
yet  at  the  last  their  prayers,  fervent  and  per- 
severing, will  be  graciously  regarded,  and  the 
blessings  sought  will  be  bestowed.  Many 
things  may  look  discouraging,  and  w^e  may  at 
times  be  strongly  tempted  to  relax  in  prayer. 
Nothing  may  seem  to  move  around  us,  the 
spiritual  heavens  over  us  may  seem  as  brass, 
and  the  ground  under  us  as  iron,  and  when  we 
cry  and  shout  God  may  seem  to  shut  out  our 
prayer.  But  true  faith  will  hold  on,  and  prayer 
will  still  ascend ;  and  though  we  are  constrained 
often  to  say  as  did  Elijah's  servant  when  he 
returned  from  looking  toward  the  sea,  "  There 
is  nothing,"  yet  the  christian  will  continue  to 
pray,  and  the  language  of  his  conduct  is.  Hold 
on,  hold  on,  continue  calling ;  persevere,  pray 
without  ceasing.  Go  again :  go  again  :  go 
seven  times,  and  never  give  over  while  life 
lasts.  Such  will  be  the  conduct  of  true  faith. 
Is  such  our  conduct  ?  Such  is  our  duty,  and 
God  will  be  honoured  by  our  prompt  obedience. 


IMMEDIATE    PRAYER.  95 


CHAPTEE    XII. 
IMMEDIATE   PRAYER. 

It  was  stated  by  a  prophet  that  a  time  would 
come  when  the  inhabitants  of  one  city  would 
go  to  another,  saying,  "  Let  us  go  speedily  to 
pray  before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Lord  of 
Hosts,"  Zech.  viii.  21 ;  showing  that  those  who 
are  sensible  of  their  need  of  divine  mercy  will 
stir  up  themselves  and  others  to  hasten  to  the 
mercy-seat  without  delay.  This  is  also  our 
duty  and  our  privilege.  Delays  are  always 
dangerous,  and  immediate  prayer  hence  be- 
comes our  duty.  This  duty  may  be  urged 
from  several  important  considerations. 

1.  There  is  now  great  encouragement  to  pray, 
as  an  ample  atonement  for  sin  has  been  made. 
It  is  by  no  means  necessary  for  us  to  stop  here 
to  inquire  whether  the  atonement  covers  a 
great  number  or  a  small  number,  or  whether 
it  is  definite  or  indefinite.  These  questions 
may  be  important  in  their  place,  but  we  have 
no  occasion  to  settle  them  here.     It  will  suffice 


96  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

for  our  present  purpose  to  say  that  the  atone- 
ment is  most  ample.  It  is  a  great  feast,  a  wide 
fountain,  a  river  deep  and  broad,  where  there 
are  waters  to  swim  in,  a  river  which  cannot  be 
passed  over.  Through  this  atonement  a  door 
of  mercy  is  set  open  for  Adam's  ruined  race, 
and  a  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  is  made  mani- 
fest. Christ  is  upon  a  mercy-seat,  and  penitent 
sinners  are  invited  and  encouraged  to  come 
freely  before  him.  Men  being  entirely  sinful 
cannot  naturally  do  anything  pleasing  in 
God's  sight.  Should  they  offer  the  cattle  upon 
a  thousand  hills,  or  pay  down  the  riches  of 
the  whole  world,  they  could  not  purchase  ex- 
emption from  the  penalty  affixed  by  Jehovah 
to  the  transgression  of  his  law ;  and  without 
a  satisfaction  to  the  law  of  God,  prayer  is  vain. 
Should  we  attempt  to  pray  without  reference 
to  an  atonement,  we  might  expect  to  be  indig- 
nantly spurned  away ;  and  God  might  demand 
of  us,  as  he  did  of  Joshua  when  he  was  pray- 
ing before  him  because  Israel  was  smitten  be- 
fore their  enemies,  "  Get  thee  up ;  wherefore 
liest  thou  thus  upon  th}^  face  ?  Israel  hath 
sinned,  and  they  have  also  transgressed  my 
covenant  which  I  commanded  them;"  Joshua 
vii.  10,  11;  teaching  him  farther  that  he 
must   not   expect   to    prosper    or   to    be    ac- 


IMMEDIATE   PRAYER.  97 

cepted  in  his  religious  services  until  an  atone- 
ment was  made.  Young  Elihu,  speaking  on 
the  part  of  God,  declared  to  Job  the  same 
great  truth,  that  prayers  are  acceptable  only 
through  an  atonement :  "  If  there  be  a  mes- 
senger with  him,"  says  he,  "  an  interpreter, 
one  among  a  thousand,  to  show  unto  man  his 
uprightness  ;  then  he  is  gracious  unto  him, 
and  saith,  Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the 
pit :  I  have  found  a  ransom.  Then  shall  he 
pray  unto  God,  and  he  will  be  favourable  unto 
him."  Job  xxxiii.  23-26.  AVe  have  this  spe- 
cial encouragement  for  immediate  prayer,  a 
ransom  is  provided  ;  an  atonement  is  made  ; 
Christ  has  come,  the  great  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  the  "  Daysman,"  as  the  scrip- 
ture terms  him,  who  can  lay  his  hand  on  both 
parties,  and  so  make  peace. 

2.  We  are  encouraged  to  immediate  prayer 
in  view  of  the  great  variety  of  means  pro- 
vided by  which  the  knowledge  of  salvation  is 
conveyed  to  us.  The  written  word  of  God  is 
published  to  the  world,  and  in  the  good  pro- 
vidence of  God  is  put  into  our  hands.  In 
this  we  receive  abundant  instruction  concern- 
ing God,  and  our  duty  to  him;  concerning 
ourselves,  our  original  state,  our  present  fallen 
condition,  and  our  future  prospects ;  concern- 


98  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

ing  also  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  how  men  may  expect  to  be  saved.  The 
revelation  which  God  has  thus  given  furnishes 
a  firm  ground  for  prayer ;  for,  as  we  read  in 
the  scriptures  that  God  in  Christ  has  laid  a 
foundation  for  the  redemption  of  man,  we 
have  an  encouragement  to  pray  that  we  could 
not  possess  without  it;  but  then  with  confi- 
dence we  may  approach  the  eternal  throne. 
So,  too,  as  we  are  instructed  by  the  word  re- 
specting our  fallen  state  as  viewed  by  Jeho- 
vafh,  we  are  moved  to  humble  ourselves 
before  him  in  prayer,  with  a  full  understand- 
ing of  our  need  of  his  grace.  The  institution 
of  the  christian  Sabbath,  and  the  public  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  are  other  means  furnished 
by  Jehovah,  giving  encouragement  for  men  to 
pray  to  him.  The  constant  return  of  the  holy 
day  of  God,  with  all  its  sacred  associations, 
cannot  fail  to  encourage  to  prayer.  The  doors 
of  the  sanctuary  are  then  thrown  open,  and 
the  mercy-seat  is  thus  displayed,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  this  naturally  leads  men  to  the  foot- 
stool of  mercy,  there  to  seek  the  fiivour  of 
God.  Seeing  this,  we  can  hardly  fail  of  call- 
ing to  our  fellows,  and  sa3ang  in  the  language 
of  the  psalmist,  "  0  come,  let  us  worship,  and 
bow  down;  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our 


IMMEDIATE   PRAYER.  99 

Maker!"  Psalm  xcv.  6.  Nearly  the  same  re- 
marks will  apply  to  the  sacraments  of  the 
New  Testament.  The  institution  of  them  as 
symbols  of  divine  things  serves  greatly  to  en- 
courage the  worship  of  men,  as  thereby  we 
have  a  medium  of  communication  with  hea- 
ven, and  our  faith  is  strengthened  through  the 
medium  of  the  senses.  Thus  do  the  various 
means  of  grace  encourage  to  prayer,  and  when 
rightly  viewed  serve  to  lead  the  soul  to  bow 
at  the  throne  of  eternal  mercy. 

3.  We  should  engage  in  the  duty  of  imme- 
diate prayer  from  the  consideration  that  now 
is  a  day  of  grace.  The  precept  of  God  by 
his  prophet,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  he  may 
be  found ;  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near," 
Isaiah  Iv.  6,  clearly  intimates  that  there  is  a 
time  when  the  Lord  may  be  found,  and  when 
men  may  call  upon  him  with  the  encourage- 
ment of  being  heard.  Such  is  a  day  of 
grace.  Then  the  door  is  open,  and  mercy  is 
calling  to  the  sinner  to  turn  and  live.  It  was 
such  a  time  in  the  old  world,  "  when  once  the 
long  suffering  ,  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of 
Noah,  while  the  ark  was  a  preparing,"  I  Pet.  iii. 
20.  It  was  such  a  time  to  Nineveh  when  Jo- 
nah proclaimed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
"  Yet  forty  days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be  over- 


100  THOUGHTS    ON    PRAYER. 

thrown."  Jonah  iii,  4.  It  was  such  a  day  to 
ancient  Israel  when  God  sent  to  them  his  pro- 
phets, rising  early  and  sending  them,  and  ex- 
horting them,  saying,  "  Oh !  do  not  this  abom- 
inable thing  that  I  hate."  Jer.  xliv.  4.  It  was 
such  a  day  also  to  the  Jews  when  the  Saviour 
came  among  them,  and  in  the  most  winning 
accents  called  after  them  to  follow  him;  and 
it  is  such  a  day  to  us  when  the  gospel  sounds 
in  our  ears.  Then  is  a  day  of  grace  — then  is 
a  time  of  mercy — then  the  Saviour  is  calling, 
and  that  is  a  time  when  men  have  encourage- 
ment to  make  immediate  prayer  unto  the  God 
of  their  life. 

4.  Another  reason  why  we  should  immedi- 
ately engage  in  prayer  to  God,  is  that  we  have 
long  neglected  this  important  duty.  What 
prayerless  lives  we  have  led  !  Our  childhood 
and  youth  were  thoughtlessness  and  vanity, 
and  our  more  mature  years  have  been  strongly 
marked  by  worldliness  and  sin,  while  we  have 
said  in  our  hearts,  if  not  with  our  lips,  "  What 
is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should  serve  him, 
and  what  profit  should  we  have  if  we  pray  to 
him?"  Job  xxi.  15.  Such,  to  a  consider- 
able extent,  has  been  the  course  of  our  lives. 
And  even  when  we  have  professed  to  know 
God  experimentally,  how  little  time  we  have 


IMMEDIATE   PRAYER.  101 

spent  in  our  closets,  or  in  our  families,  or  in 
the  social  meeting,  seeking  mercies  of  the  God 
of  heaven !  When  we  thus  reflect  on  our  ne- 
glect of  the  important  duty  of  prayer,  it 
truly  becomes  us  to  repair  to  the  mercy-seat 
without  delay,  and  lose  no  further  time  in 
humbling  our  souls  before  God. 

5.  There  is  an  appointed  time  for  man's 
probation,  which  is  another  reason  why  we 
should  immediately  betake  ourselves  to  prayer. 
There  is  not  a  moment  to  be  lost.  The  last 
hour  of  probation  is  hastening  on,  and  the  op- 
portunity of  securing  eternal  life  will  soon  pass 
away.  "  There  is  a  sin  unto  death."  1  John 
V.  16.  There  is  a  point  in  sin  beyond  which 
there  is  no  forgiveness,  *' neither  in  this  world, 
neither  in  the  world  to  come."  Matt.  xii.  32. 
The  closing  of  probation  ushers  in  that  dread- 
ful hour.  As  then  the  close  of  our  probation- 
ary term  approaches,  how  anxious  we  should 
be  to  be  reconciled  to  our  final  Judge;  and 
with  what  earnestness  we  should  pray  for 
grace  that  we  may  be  prepared  to  meet  God 
in  peace!  Did  we  but  realize  the  shortness 
of  time,  we  should  not  lose  a  moment,  but 
should  fly  to  the  mercy-seat  without  dela}^ 
lest  in  an  unlocked  for  moment  the  last  sand 
in   our  glass  should  fall,   the  door  of  mercy 

close,  and  our  souls  perish.  , 

9* 


102  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

Such  are  some  of  the  reasons  for  immediate 
prayer — reasons  why  without  any  delay  we 
should  seek  after  God,  and  spread  out  our  de- 
sires before  him.  There  is  an  atonement  made 
for  men  ;  there  is  a  variety  of  rich  means  pro- 
vided ;  it  is  a  day  of  grace;  the  work  has 
been  long  neglected;  and  the  extreme  point 
of  probation  may  very  soon  be  reached.  With 
these  considerations  all  pressing  upon  us, 
shall  we  not  go  speedily  and  pray  before  the 
Lord  ? 


PRAYER   FOR   COMMON   THINGS.  103 


CHAPTER    XIII. 
PRAYER    FOR   COMMON  THINGS. 

The  question  often  arises  in  the  minds  of 
conscientious  men,  how  far  it  is  proper  to- 
make  temporal  matters  the  subject  of  prayer. 
The  duty  of  praying  for  spiritual  things  no  one 
doubts ;  but  to  seek  the  blessing  of  God  on  our 
daily  employments  is  sometimes  thought  a 
species  of  profanation,  and  the  man  who  would 
pray  most  earnestly  for  an  increase  of  grace, 
or  to  be  humbled  for  sin,  or  to  be  purified  from 
defilement,  would  rarely,  if  ever,  ask  God's 
blessing  on  his  occupation  or  trade,  or  seek 
the  assistance  of  his  grace  in  the  ordinary  la- 
bours of  his  hands.  But  if  we  look  into  this 
matter  carefully,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  both 
lawful  and  proper,  as  well  as  highly  advan- 
tageous to  address  God  in  prayer  for  every 
needed  good,  temporal  as  well .  as  spiritual. 
Some  reasons  for  this  may  be  assigned. 

1.  It  is  so,  because  God  is  the  author  of  all 
our  blessings.     Nothing  is  more  certain  than 


104  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

the  declaration  of  an  apostle,  that  "  every 
good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift,  is  from  above, 
and  Cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights." 
James  i.  17.  There  is  no  blessing  that  we 
enjoy,  either  in  mind,  body,  or  estate  ;  there 
is  nothing  relating  to  our  mortal  existence,  or 
to  our  eternal  destiny ;  there  is  nothing  that 
concerns  this  world,  or  the  world  to  come,  but 
which  comes  from  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord. 
It  is  his  Spirit  which  enlightens  and  renews 
the  soul,  and  forms  it  for  glory;  and  it  is 
equally  owing  to  his  power  that  the  labours 
of  our  hands  are  prospered,  or  our  daily  bread 
afforded.  God  is  therefore  to  be  acknow- 
ledged as  truly  in  one  case  as  in  the  other ; 
and  while  we  are  thankful  for  quickening  grace, 
and  pray  to  God  for  its  increase,  we  should  be 
thankful  to  him  also  for  the  blessings  and  com- 
forts of  this  life,  and  should  make  our  prayer 
before  him  for  the  success  of  every  lawful  un- 
dertaking. 

2.  The  providence  of  God  extends  to  every 
event,  small  as  well  as  great,  events  relating 
to  the  body  equally  as  to  the  soul.  There  is 
nothing  on  which  we  may  place  our  hand,  but 
we  must  in  truth  say,  God  did  it.  He  works 
by  instruments,  he  arranges  and  moves  second 
causes,  but  he  is  the  great  first  cause,  and  the 


PRAYER   FOR   COMMON   THINGS.  105 

sovereign  disposer  of  all  things;  so  that  his 
declaration  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet  is 
strictly  true,  "  I  form  the  light,  and  create 
darkness :  I  make  peace,  and  create  evil : 
I  the  Lord  do  all  these  things."  Isaiah  xlv.  7. 
Here  we  have  the  word  of  Jehovah  himself 
that  there  is  no  being  or  instrument  in  the 
world  independent  of  him,  and  that  all  crea- 
tures and  causes  act  by  his  command,  or 
through  his  permission.  The  influence,  and 
the  mode  of  operation  may  differ,  but  the 
power  is  one,  and  the  providence  is  universal. 
This  fact  furnishes  a  reason,  and  a  strong  one, 
why  we  should  rely  on  God  for  temporal  things, 
and  pray  to  him  for  his  blessing  on  every  work 
of  our  hands.  If  he  does  not  despise  the  cry 
of  the  young  ravens,  neither  will  he  refuse  to 
listen  when  we  commit  to  him  our  temporal 
concerns,  and  ask  his  blessing  on  them. 

3.  Another  reason  why  we  should  address 
God  in  prayer  for  his  blessing  on  our  temporal 
concerns,  is  that  without  the  blessing  of  God 
nothing  can  prosper,  but  with  it  the  weakest 
things  will  be  made  effectual.  We  are  all 
fully  confident  that  we  have  no  power  to  re- 
new our  own  hearts,  that  we  cannot  justify 
ourselves  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  we  cannot 
adopt  ourselves  into  his  family,  nor  can  we 


106  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

sanctify  our  souls,  and  make  them  holy ;  and 
hence  we  pray  for  these  things,  referring  them 
all  to  the  power  and  grace  of  God.  And  can 
we  gain  common  things  Avithout  God's  blessing  ? 
No  more  than  we  can  renew  our  hearts ;  and  we 
might  just  as  soon  think  of  purging  our  souls 
from  sin  by  our  own  efforts,  as  to  succeed  in 
any  worldly  occupation  without  the  divine 
guidance.  Hence  the  importance  of  praying 
to  God  for  all  temporal  things. 

4.  The  word  of  God  encourages  us  to 
spread  out  before  him  all  our  wants.  The 
representations  of  Jehovah  in  the  scriptures 
are  those  of  great  tenderness  and  condescen- 
sion. He  is  spoken  of  as  hearkening  to  the 
groaning  of  the  prisoner,  as  opening  his  ears 
at  the  cry  of  the  needy,  and  hearing  the 
weakest  and  feeblest  of  the  creatures  he  has 
made.  His  language  is  most  encouraging  : 
"  Open  thy  mouth  wide,  and  I  will  fill  it." 
Psalm  Ixxxi.  10.  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be 
given  you :  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  :  knock, 
and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  Luke  xi. 
9.  "This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard 
him,  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his  troubles." 
Psalm  xxxiv.  6.  So  encouraging  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Bible,  inviting  us  to  bring  every 
want,  and  lay  it  down  in  the  light  of  God's 
countenance. 


PRAYER   FOR   COMMON   THINGS.  107 

5.  We  are  encouraged  to  this  course  by 
the  example  of  holy  men  of  old.  The  exam- 
ple of  Nehemiah  is  in  point,  for  he  prayed  to 
God  for  a  blessing  upon  whatever  business  he 
had  in  hand.  It  is  true  he  humbled  his  soul 
before  God  for  the  wickedness  of  his  heart, 
and  sought  of  God  spiritual  mercies,  but  this 
did  not  prevent  him  from  asking  temporal 
blessings  also  :  "  Grant  me  mercy,"  said  he, 
"  in  the  sight  of  this  man."  Neh.  i.  11.  He 
was  about  to  seek  aid  of  the  king  to  rebuild 
the  wall  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  a  temporal 
matter,  and  yet  he  carried  it  to  the  throne  of 
grace ;  and  when  the  king  demanded  of  him 
to  state  his  request,  he  again  spread  it  out  be- 
fore God  :  "  So  I  prayed,"  said  he,  '^  to  the 
God  of  heaven."  And  throughout  the  book 
wherein  he  gives  in  detail  a  record  of  his  la- 
bours, we  have  repeated  examples  of  his  pious 
ejaculations  for  the  blessing  of  God  upon  his 
labours.  The  prayers  of  Hezekiah,  and  of 
Isaiah  the  prophet,  when  Sennacherib,  the 
king  of  Assyria,  came  against  Judah,  were  of 
the  same  kind.  The  matter  was  a  temporal 
one  altogether,  and  yet  the  pious  king  and 
the  prophet  made  special  prayer  on  account  of 
it,  spreading  out  before  the  Lord  the  threaten- 
ing letter  of  Sennacherib,  and  naming  distinctly 


108  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

the  things  that  they  feared.  2  Kings  xix.  1 
— 19,  and  2  Chron.  xxxii.  16 — 20,  and  Isa. 
xxxvii.  14 — 20.  The  examples  of  Abraham, 
and  Moses,  and  David,  and  Solomon,  and  Je- 
hoshaphat,  and  others,  all  praying  men,  will 
illustrate  this  point,  and  show  that  when  tem- 
poral blessings  were  needed,  they  as  readily 
spread  out  that  case  before  God,  as  they  did 
when  they  felt  their  need  of  his  grace,  and 
besought  him  for  spiritual  mercies  alone. 

From  all  these  considerations  we  may  feel 
instructed  in  regard  to  our  duty.  We  all  have 
engagements  of  a  temporal  kind,  and  to  some 
extent  are  engaged  in  affairs  which  demand 
attention,  and  the  apostolic  precept  is  binding 
on  all  men,  "  Not  slothful  in  business ;  fervent 
inspirit;  serving  the  Lord."  Rom.  xii.  11. 
We  may  freely  pray  to  God  for  his  blessing 
on  every  lawful  occupation  and  employment ; 
and  if  there  is  any  thing  that  we  pursue  on 
which  we  cannot  consistently  and  conscien- 
tiously ask  God's  blessing,  we  may  rely  upon 
it,  that  thing  is  wrong,  and  if  pursued  will  be 
a  greater  sin. 


PRAYING  IN  THE  NAME  OF  CHRIST.  109 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
PRAYING  IN  THE  NAME  OF   CHRIST. 

When  our  Lord  was  about  to  ascend  to  hea- 
ven, where  he  was  before,  he  engaged  to  send 
the  Comforter,  even  the  Holy  Spirit,  down  to 
abide  with  his  people  unto  the  end  of  the 
world.  Referring  to  this  time,  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  "  In  that  day  ye  shall  ask  me  nothing : 
verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give 
it  you."  John  xvi.  23.  We  cannot  suppose 
that  our  Lord  intended  to  say  here  that  his 
people  were  never  to  pray  to  him  after  his  as- 
cension, but  more  probably  his  meaning  was 
that  after  the  enlightening  of  their  minds  by 
the  promised  descent  of  the  Comforter,  or  the 
outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  would  im- 
mediately improve  their  interest  at  the  throne 
of  grace,  and  supplicate  the  Father  through 
his  name.  Prayer  in  the  name  of  Christ  is 
thus  taught,  and  we  shall  find  it  useful  to  con- 
sider it  as  a  distinct  topic. 

10 


110  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

Praying  in  the  name  of  Christ  clearly  im- 
plies that  we  have  some  correct  understanding 
of  the  various  offices  which  he  sustains  in  ef- 
fecting the  great  work  of  man's  redemption. 
In  the  scheme  of  divine  grace,  when  he  was 
"bringing  many  sons  unto  glory/'  Heb.  ii.  10, 
the  Saviour  appeared  for  them  in  some  very 
interesting  and  important  characters.  He  is  a 
Prophet,  and  in  this  character  he  enlightens  a 
dark  world,  and  especially  the  darkened  minds 
of  men.  He  is  a  Priest,  and  in  this  character 
was  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  and  then  pleads 
the  merit  of  his  death  before  the  throne.  He 
is  a  King,  and  as  such  he  subdues  his  people 
to  himself,  overcoming  their  stubbornness,  and 
sweetly  inclining  their  wills  to  choose  him  as 
their  Saviour  and  Redeemer.  He  is  a  Surety, 
and  as  such  occupies  the  place  his  people 
should  have  occupied  before  the  bar  of  eternal 
justice.  Pie  is  also  a  Mediator,  the  only 
Mediator  between  God  and  man^  who  stands 
between  the  parties  as  God  and  man  himself, 
so  making  peace.  Praying  in  Christ's  name 
very  naturally  implies  a  knowledge  of  these 
offices,  as  well  as  a  true  belief  in  them.  Be- 
lieving thus  of  the  Saviour,  it  is  both  our  duty 
and  our  highest  interest  to  come  to  the  throne 
of  divine  grace  in  his  name. 


PRAYING   IN   THE  NAME  OF  CHRIST.         Ill 

1.  It  is  a  duty  that  we  owe  to  the  majesty 
of  God.  It  would  be  considered  the  height  of 
presumption  for  any  private  subject  to  approach 
his  earthly  sovereign  without  an  attendant, 
some  minister  of  state,  to  introduce  him  and 
offer  his  petition ;  much  more  then  is  it  a  duty 
for  us  to  approach  the  majesty  of  heaven  not 
alone,  and  not  in  our  own  names,  but  leaning 
on  Christ,  and  in  the  prevailing  name  of  this 
Advocate  before  the  throne. 

2.  It  is  a  duty  that  we  owe  to  the  holiness 
of  God  that  we  should  approach  the  mercy-seat 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  for  as  Jehovah  is  holy 
and  pure,  it  certainly  is  most  important  for 
our  success  that  we  come  before  him  in  the 
name  of  one  who  is  pure  and  spotless  also. 
Heb.  vii.  26. 

3.  It  is  due  to  the  justice  of  God  that  we 
should  approach  him  in  the  name  of  Christ,  for 
we  have  broken  his  law,  and  have  no  safe  way 
of  approach  to  him  but  through  the  merits  of 
one  who  has  fulfilled  the  law,  and  become  the 
end  of  it  for  righteousness  to  every  one  who 
believeth.     Romans  x.  4. 

4.  To  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ  is  a  duty 
that  we  owe  to  the  Saviour  himself,  for  being 
every  way  suitable  to  act  as  a  Mediator,  and 
being   prevalent   in  intercession    before    the 


112  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

throne,  it  is  most  ungrateful  in  us  to  refuse  his 
proffered  aid. 

5.  It  is  a  duty  we  owe  ourselves  to  offer  our 
prayers  in  the  name  of  Christ.  "  There  is  sal- 
vation in  none  other,"  Acts  iv.  12,  and  if  we 
reject  the  Saviour's  intercession  we  shall  perish. 

These  few  considerations  exhibit  the  duty 
of  offering  our  prayers  in  Christ's  name.  But 
this  is  not  all,  for  it  is  a  privilege  thus  to  do, 
and  a  manifest  advantage  accrues  to  the  soul 
thus  to  present  our  petitions  before  God.    For, 

1.  Thereby  we  have  communion  with  Christ. 
When  with  humble  reliance  on  the  Saviour's 
merits  we  approach  the  throne  of  divine  grace, 
and  in  his  name  present  our  requests,  we  do  in 
effect  make  a  common  cause  with  him,  and 
may  adopt  the  language  of  an  apostle,  "  And 
truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and 
with  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ."     1  John  i.  3. 

2.  If  we  approach  the  mercy-seat  in  Christ's 
name,  we  may  make  known  to  him,  as  to  a 
compassionate  Saviour,  all  our  wants,  difficul- 
ties, and  perplexities.  Not  unfrequently  the 
christian  has  trials  that  he  cannot  reveal  to 
his  nearest  friend.  He  may  have  secret  temp- 
tations and  sins  that  he  cannot  disclose  to  any 
one ;  but  when  he  comes  to  the  mercy-seat  in 
the  Saviour's  name,  he  will  feel  a  nearness  to 


PRAYD^G  m  THE  NAME  OF  CHRIST.         Il3 

him  which  will  encourage  him  to  make  full 
disclosures  to  him,  and  to  pour  all  his  sorrows 
into  his  bosom. 

3.  Another  great  advantage  of  praying  in 
the  name  of  Christ,  is,  that  we  may  be  as- 
sured he  will  present  to  the  Father  only  such 
petitions  as  are  proper  and  suitable.  We  are 
short-sighted,  and  know  but  in  part,  and  our 
ignorance  is  such  that  we  are  liable  to  desire 
many  things  which,  in  the  end,  would  prove 
hurtful,  and  to  make  requests  which,  if  grant- 
ed, would  ruin  us.  But  Christ  is  perfect  in 
wisdom,  and  when  we  present  our  prayers 
through  him,  he,  so  to  speak,  will  sift  the  pe- 
titions, offering  to  the  Father  only  such  as  are 
proper,  perfuming  them  with  his  own  interces- 
sions before  the  throne. 

4.  When  we  truly  pray  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  we  have  an  assurance  of  being  heard. 
So  our  Lord  promised  his  people,  "Yeril}^, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it 
you.  Hitherto  have  ye  asked  nothing  in  my 
name  :  ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  that  your  joy 
may  be  full."  John  xvi.  23,  24. 

Such  is  praying  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
such  is  its  duty,  and  such  its  advantages.  As 
we  consider  these  advantages,  we  cannot  but 

10* 


114  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

see  how  the  absence  of  Christ's  bodily  pre- 
seuce  is  turned  into  a  great  mercy  to  his  peo- 
ple. We  sometimes  imagine  that  those  were 
greatly  favoured  who  saw  the  Saviour  in  the 
flesh,  and  heard  the  gracious  words  which 
proceeded  out  of  his  mouth.  In  some  re- 
spects it  was  so,  but  the  advantages  of  his 
intercession  at  the  throne  of  eternal  mercy 
are  far  greater.  Before  that  throne  he  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession ;  there  he  pleads 
the  cause  of  his  people,  and  through  his  pre- 
valent intercession,  they  are  set  free. 


ASSISTANCE   OF   THE    SPIRIT   IN   PRAYER.     115 


CHAPTER    XV. 
THE   ASSISTANCE   OF   THE   SPIRIT   IN   PRAYER. 

We  have  been  contemplating  the  important 
duty  of  prayer,  earnest,  agonizing,  fervent, 
■wrestling  prayer,  in  secret,  in  the  family,  in 
the  social  circle,  and  in  the  sanctuary;  we 
have  spoken  of  it  as  an  immediate  duty,  that 
without  any  delay  we  should  repair  to  the 
mercy-seat,  and  there  order  our  cause  before 
God,  and  fill  our  mouths  with  arguments. 
And  knowing  our  frail,  feeble,  dependent 
state,  we  have  considered  the  duty  and  the 
privilege  of  praying  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  offering  all  our  petitions  with  humble,  yet 
heartfelt,  reliance  on  his  prevalent  intercession 
before  the  throne.  Still  a  difficulty  may  lie  in 
our  way.  We  may  feel  depressed.  We  may 
feel  unworthy  so  much  as  to  lift  up  our  eyes 
to  heaven,  and  may  fear  that  all  our  prayers, 
and  cries,  and  tears,  are  mere  bowlings,  and 
can  avail  nothing  before  God.  But  notwith- 
standing all  this,  God  has  given  encouragement 


116  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

to  the  doubting  christian,  by  setting  before 
him  the  promised  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit in  prayer.  The  holy  apostle  records  this 
promise :  "  Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth 
our  infirmities:  for  we  know  not  what  we 
should  pray  for  as  we  ought:  but  the  Spirit 
itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groan- 
ings,  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  he  that 
searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the 
mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  inter- 
cession for  the  saints,  according  to  the  will  of 
God."  Rom.  viii.  26,  27.  Here  we  are  in- 
structed to  believe  that  it  is  the  peculiar  office 
work  of  the  Spirit  to  assist  the  saints  in 
prayer.  Let  us  consider  it.  It  is  declared,  in 
the  text  just  recited,  that  the  Spirit  helps  the 
people  of  God  when  they  pray.  Of  the  fact, 
then,  we  are  not  to  doubt.  While  we  are  in 
this  world,  if  we  are  truly  hoping  and  waiting 
for  that  which  as  yet  we  see  not,  then  we 
shall  be  praying  for  it.  "  Hope  supposes  de- 
sire, and  that  desire  offered  to  God  is  prayer." 
In  the  declaration  quoted  from  Paul,  the  first 
thought  presented  is  the  weakness  of  the  pray- 
ing soul,  "  We  know  not  what  we  should  pray 
for  as  we  ought."  As  to  the  matter  of  our 
requests,  we  know  not  what  we  should  ask  of 
God,  for  we  are  not  competent  judges  of  our  own 


ASSISTANCE   OF   THE    SPIRIT   IN   PRAYER.    117 

condition.  Solomon,  who  well  understood  this 
deficiency  in  human  nature,  asks,  "  Who 
knoweth  what  is  good  for  a  man  in  this  life?" 
Eccl.  vi.  12.  We  are  short-sighted,  altogether 
prejudiced  in  favour  of  the  flesh,  and  are 
prone  to  separate  the  end  from  the  means  of 
its  attainment.  Our  Lord  may  often  say  to 
us,  as  he  did  to  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  "Ye 
know  not  what  ye  ask."  Matt.  xx.  22.  We 
are  very  much  like  foolish  children,  who  often 
desire  things  which  would  hurt  them,  or 
things  absolutely  improper  for  them,  as  James 
and  John  once  desired  their  Lord  to  send  fire 
from  heaven  to  consume  his  enemies.  Luke  ix. 
54.  Thus  in  many  things  we  ask  ignorantly, 
knowing  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we 
ought. 

In  the  manner  of  our  prayers  we  are  also  de- 
ficient. It  is  not  enough  that  we  do  that  which 
is  proper,  but  we  should  do  it  in  a  proper  man- 
ner. It  is  not  enough  that  we  seek  God,  but 
we  must  seek  him  "after  the  due  order." 
1  Chron.  xv.  13.  In  this  we  are  often  at  a 
loss.  Our  graces  are  weak,  our  affections  are 
cold,  and  our  thoughts  wandering.  Neverthe- 
less, the  Spirit  does  assist  the  saints  in  prayer, 
and  to  this  the  apostle  undoubtedly  refers, 
when  he  says,  "  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God 


118  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

hath  sent  forth  the  spirit  of  his  Son  into  your 
hearts,  crying  Abba,  Father."  Gal.  iv.  6. 
We  have  the  same  thing  promised  by  Jehovah 
to  his  ancient  people :  "'  And  I  will  pour  upon 
the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  suppli- 
cations." Zech.  xii.  10.  Here  is  a  promise 
of  great  blessings.  The  Spirit  is  promised  to 
be  poured  out  upon  the  soul,  specially  as  a 
spirit  of  supplication,  assisting  the  soul  in 
prayer.  But  how  does  the  Spirit  assist  the 
saints  in  prayer  ?  It  is  not  by  making  any 
new  revelation:  this  we  are  not  now  to  ex- 
pect. '^  Vision  and  prophecy  "  are  now  "  sealed 
up,"  Dan.  ix.  24,  and  "  God,  who  at  sundry 
times,  and  in  divers  manners,  spake  in  time 
past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in 
these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son." 
Heb.  i.  1. 

We  are  no  longer,  therefore,  to  look  for  reve- 
lations, dreams,  voices,  and  communications  of 
this  sort,  and  they  who  do  so,  as  some  do  at 
the  present  day,  are  preparing  themselves  for 
a  grievous  disappointment.  But  how,  then, 
"we  ask  again,  is  it  done  ?  We  answer  in  the 
words  of  Paul,  "  The  Spirit  helpeth  our  in- 
firmities." The  Spirit  does  not  pray  for  us, 
thus   doing  our  work,  and  relieving  us  from 


ASSISTANCE   OF   THE    SPIRIT    IN    PRAYER.    119 

the  duty,  but  he  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people  as  a  spirit  of  supplication,  aiding  them, 
or,  as  the  original  word  for  helpeth  very  strik- 
ingly intimates,  lifting  with  them,  as  one  would 
help  his  neighbour  raise  up  some  heavy  burden."^ 
Thus  he  who  prays  receives  help  from  the 
Spirit  of  God.  Whatever  our  strength  may 
be,  whether  small  or  great,  we  must  put  it 
forth,  and  then  depend  for  success  upon  the 
strength  of  the  Lord. 

There  are  several  ways  in  which  the  Spirit, 
dwelling  in  the  heart,  assists  the  true  people 
of  God  in  prayer. 

1.  He  does  thus  by  suggesting  to  their  minds 
such  portions  of  the  scriptures  as  are  appHca- 
ble  to  their  case.  Often  when  the  christian 
first  engages  in  prayer,  his  mind  will  be  dull, 
stupid,  and  dark,  and  his  prayers  will  seem  to 
himself  most  tasteless,  and  spiritless  ;  but  as  he 
proceeds,  his  affections  will  enkindle,  his  mind 
will  become  enlightened,  passages  of  scripture 
suitable  to  his  case,  or  to  the  subject  for  which 
he  is  praying,  will  crowd  into  his  mind,  and  he 
will  come  with  confidence  to  the  mercy-seat, 
ordering  his  cause  before  God,  and  filling  his 
mouth  with  arguments.  Thus  "  the  Spirit 
maketh  intercession  for  the  saints,  according 

*  See  Henry,  and  Clarke  on  Rom.  viii.  26. 


120  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

to  the  will  of  God,"  according  to  his  revealed 
will,  the  scriptures.  Through  this  medium  he 
dictates  our  requests,  indites  our  petitions,  and, 
so  to  speak,  draws  up  our  plea  for  us.  Thus 
the  Spirit,  as  an  enlightening  Spirit,  teaches 
the  christian  what  to  pray  for;  as  a  sanctifying 
Spirit,  he  forms  holy  graces  within,  and  as  a 
comforting  Spirit,  banishes  all  discouragement. 
2.  The  Spirit  assists  the  people  of  God  in 
prayer,  by  filling  their  minds  with  deep  and 
unutterable  longings  after  holiness  of  heart 
and  life,  as  well  as  after  communion  with  God. 
This  probably  is  what  Paul  meant  when  he 
spoke  of  the  Spirit  interceding  for,  or  in,  the 
saints  "  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  ut- 
tered." Sometimes  the  mind  of  the  christian, 
as  he  attempts  to  pray,  will  be  filled  with 
thoughts  and  desires  too  mighty  to  be  ex- 
pressed, and  when  no  language  can  declare 
fully  the  emotions  of  the  mind.  Fluency  in 
prayer  is  by  no  means  essential  to  its  gift 
or  reality,  and  there  may  be  much  praying 
in  the  Spirit  when  not  a  word  is  spoken ;  but 
the  unutterable  groan  is  full  of  meaning,  and 
God  understands  it,  because  it  is  the  language 
of  his  own  Spirit.  These  feelings,  and  this 
deep  swelling  and  groaning  within,  are  peculiar 
to  the  secret  retirement  of  the  christian,  and 


ASSISTANCE   OF   THE    SPIRIT   IN   PRAYER.    121 

seldom  J  if  ever,  appear  in  public,  and  should 
be  carefully  distinguished  from  an  assumed 
groaning  sometimes  put  on  in  public,  attracting 
notice,  without  conveying  any  devotional  feel- 
ings. The  prayers  of  Moses,  as  the  people  of 
Israel  stood  by  the  Red  Sea,  v^ere  of  this  heart- 
affecting  kind,  and  so  fervent  and  agonizing 
•were  his  prayers,  that  the  Lord  demanded 
"  Wherefore  criest  thou  unto  me  ?"  Exodus 
xiv.  15.  And  yet,  when  we  examine  the 
place,  we  cannot  find  that  Moses  uttered  a 
word.  It  is  probable  that  his  soul  was  too  full 
for  utterance.  8uch,  too,  was  the  prayer  of 
Hannah,  when  she  stood  in  the  Tabernacle  be- 
fore Eli,  the  High  Priest ;  moving  her  lips 
only,  while  no  sound  was  uttered  to  express 
the  sorrowful  emotions  of  her  heart.  I  Sam, 
i.  10.  Such,  too,  were  the  prayers  of  Elijah, 
when  on  the  top  of  Carmel  he  besought  the 
mercy  of  God  for  the  land.  We  hear  nothing 
of  his  words,  but  in  an  agony  of  soul,  with  a 
heart  too  full  to  speak,  he  cast  himself  on  the 
ground  before  God,  and  put  his  face  between 
his  knees.  1  Kings  xviii.  42.  Thus  does  the 
Spirit  intercede  for  the  saints  with  groanings 
which  cannot  be  uttered. 

3.  The  Spirit  assists  the  saints  in  prayer  by 
leading  the  soul  to  Christ.    The  soul,  dark  and 
11 


122  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

ignorant,  needs  teaching,  and  the  Spirit  takes 
of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  shows  them  to  him. 
He  is  trembling  before  the  tribunal  of  eternal 
justice,  and  the  Spirit  guides  him  to  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  on  which  he  may 
safely  trust.  Is  he  hungry?  Christ  is  pre- 
sented as  the  bread  of  life.  Is  he  thirsty  ? 
Christ  is  the  water  of  salvation.  Is  he  in 
difficulty  and  doubt,  or  groaning  under  a  load 
of  pollution  and  sin?  Christ,  through  the 
Spirit,  becomes  to  him  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification,  and  redemption. 

Thus  does  the  Spirit  assist  the  people  of 
God  in  ordering  their  cause  at  his  mercy-seat, 
and  God,  whose  is  the  Spirit,  and  who  knows 
the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  prepares  an  answer  of 
peace  according  to  the  request. 

A  consideration  of  this  subject  may  well 
encourage  the  praying  people  of  God  in  pre- 
senting their  requests  at  his  throne.  Such  is 
the  stupefying  nature  of  sin  that  christians  are 
prone  to  become  remiss  in  the  most  sacred 
duties,  to  cast  off  fear,  and  restrain  prayer 
before  God.  But  when  we  consider  Christ  as 
on  a  mercy -seat,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  ready  to 
help  our  infirmities,  and  make  intercession 
for  us  according  to  the  will  of  God,  surely  w^e 
may  take  encouragement,  and  come  with  great 


ASSISTANCE  OF   THE    SPIRIT   IN   PRAYER.       123 

confidence  before  the  mercy-seat.  And  though 
we  may  be  cast  down  and  overwhelmed  with 
a  sense  of  conscious  guilt,  still  we  may  call  to 
mind  that  the  Spirit  of  grace  is  ready  to  plead 
for  us,  and  we  may  come  with  freedom  before 
the  great  Hearer  of  prayer. 


124  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
PRAYER   FOR    THE    HOLY   SPIRIT. 

We  have  been  contemplating  the  assistance 
in  prayer  which  christians  receive  from  the 
Holy  Spirit.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  al- 
ways poured  upon  the  soul,  and  to  be  deserted 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  is  one  of  the  most  deplo- 
rable effects  of  sin.  "  Woe  also  unto  them,"  said 
God,  "  when  I  depart  from  them."  Hosea  ix. 
12.  There  is  therefore  much  propriety  in 
praying  for  the  Holy  Spirit;  that  God  may 
continue  to  us  those  influences  of  the  Spirit 
which  renew  and  sanctify  the  soul,  and  form 
it  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light.  This  whole  subject  will  open  readily 
upon  us  as  we  consider  the  four  following 
questions,  viz: 

What  is  it  to  have  the  Spirit  ?  How  may 
we  provoke  him  to  withdraw  from  us  ?  What 
are  the  usual  signs  of  his  withdrawment  ?  and 
what  are  the  consequences  thereof? 

The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  minds 


PRAYER   FOR   THE   HOLY    SPIRIT.  125 

of  those  who  are  made  the  subjects  of  renew- 
ing grace  is  variously  described  in  the  scrip- 
tures. Paul,  in  writing  to  the  Ephesians, 
calls  it  a  sealing :  "In  whom  [z.  e.  in  Christ] 
after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  the 
Holy  Spirit."  Eph.  i.  13.  This  metaphor 
conveys  a  very  striking  idea  of  the  operations 
of  the  Spirit  upon  the  renewed  soul.  As  a 
seal  stamps  its  own  image  on  the  wax  that 
is  impressed  by  it,  and  thus  marks  the  thing 
sealed  to  be  the  property  of  him  who  sealed 
it;  so  the  Holy  Spirit  forms  the  lineaments 
of  the  divine  image  on  the  soul  that  is  sealed, 
showing  that  it  belongs  to  God.*  The  Spirit 
of  God,  then,  when  it  dwells  in  the  heart, 
forms  the  man  in  some  mea,sure  like  God ;  and 
hence  it  is  called  by  the  apostle  in  another 
place, "  Renewed  in  knowledge,  after  the  image 
of  him  that  created  him."  Col.  iii.  10. 
Thus,  having  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  have  his 
image  created  anew  in  the  soul.  It  is  to  be  in 
our  measure  like  Christ ;  to  possess  something 
like  his  trust  in  God,  his  humility  of  soul,  his 
zeal  for  God's  honour,  his  fervency  in  prayer, 
and  his  desire  for  the  salvation  of  men. 

Our  second  inquiry  is  concerning  the  manner 


*  Simeon  nearly. 
11*  ^ 


126  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

in  which  the  Spirit  may  be  provoked  to  with- 
draw from  men.  Although  he  will  not  with- 
draw wholly  and  for  ever  from  any  who  are  truly 
converted,  yet  the  people  of  God  may,  by  sin- 
ning, lose  the  comforting  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
and  become  dull,  and  heartless,  and  barren,  and 
very  probably  lose  the  evidences  of  their  gra- 
cious state  which  they  may  have  enjoyed  be- 
fore. In  this  way  the  Spirit  may  be  grieved 
and  provoked  to  withdraw  for  a  time  even 
from  real  christians.  It  is  therefore  a  matter 
of  much  consequence  that  we  should  know 
how  the  Spirit  is  provoked  to  withdraw,  that 
we  may  avoid  grieving  that  heavenly  messen- 
ger. 

1.  All  open  acts  of  transgression  grieve  the 
Spirit,  and  provoke  him  to  withdraw  from  the 
soul.  The  good  Spirit  will  not  abide  with  the 
evil  one,  and  when  we  open  the  door  to  sin  we 
do  in  effect  turn  holiness  out.  Satan  would 
be  very  glad  of  a  compromise,  but  God  will 
bear  no  rival  in  the  heart.  There  can  be  no 
communion  between  light  and  darkness,  no 
concord  between  Christ  and  Belial.     Hence 

2.  The  Spirit  is  provoked  to  withdraw  by 
any  attempt  to  reconcile  the  love  and  service 
of  Christ  with  that  of  the  world.  This  is 
sometimes  done  by  real  christians.    In  some  sit- 


PRAYER   FOR   THE    HOLY   SPIRIT.  127 

uations,  and  at  some  times,  the  cross  may  seem 
very  heavy,  and  men  will  hesitate  about  taking 
it  up.  Strict  religion  may  be  out  of  fashion, 
and  a  temporizing  spirit  may  induce  them  to 
relax  a  little,  and  partially  conform  to  the 
world.  One  step  aside  makes  way  for  another, 
and  this  for  a  third,  till  at  length  the  Spirit  is 
grieved,  and  withdrawing  leaves  the  soul  dark 
and  comfortless. 

3.  Nearly  allied  to  this  is  another  thing 
which  grieves  the  blessed  Spirit,  viz  :  unneces- 
sary intercourse  with  worldly  people.  Scarce 
anything  chills  the  spirit  of  religion  like  it.  It 
is  like  an  untimely  frost  on  the  half  matured 
crop,  which  nips  the  corn  in  the  ear,  and  dis- 
appoints the  husbandman  of  the  expected  fruit 
of  his  labours.  So  fatal  to  piety  is  too  much 
worldly  intercourse.  There  is  indeed  a  con- 
nectioa  with  the  world  that  is  unavoidable  as 
long  as  we  live  in  it ;  but  we  have  no  need  to 
seek  our  enjoyment  here ;  we  have  no  need  to 
run  among  the  giddy  multitude,  entering  into 
their  views,  adopting  their  practices,  and  having 
our  conversation  always  among  them. 

"  The  world's  infectious  :  few  bring  back  at  eve 
Immaculate  the  manners  of  the  morn." 

When  we  follow  the  world,  adopt  its  maxims, 


128  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

and  copy  its  example,  the  warm  flame  of  de- 
votion is  stifled,  and  the  Spirit,  offended,  with- 
draws to  seek  a  more  congenial  residence. 

Such  are  some  of  the  ways  by  which  the 
Spirit  is  grieved  and  provoked  to  depart  from 
the  soul. 

A  third  inquiry  proposed  was  to  speak  of 
the  signs  of  the  Spirit's  withdrawment.  While 
there  is  in  the  soul  an  increasing  sense  of  sin- 
fulness, and  the  heart  is  weighed  down  and 
humbled  before  God,  there  is  good  reason  to 
hope  that  the  Spirit  is  still  present,  and  is  ope- 
rating upon  the  heart,  and  teaching  it  to  pray. 
Then  the  conscience  will  be  tender,  and  the 
man  will  fear  in  all  things,  lest  he  should  over- 
step the  mark,  and  oflend  God.  But  when  the 
Spirit  withdraws,  the  very  contrary  to  this 
will  appear.  The  man  will  become  very  con- 
fident of  his  good  estate;  he  will  hftve  no 
doubt  but  that  he  is  a  christian,  and  will  feel 
rather  oflended  to  be  doubted  by  others,  or 
treated  as  a  backslider.  Declensions  in  reli- 
gion always  begin  in  the  closet,  and  a  man  may 
decUne  a  great  way  before  any  one  becomes 
alarmed  for  him.  But  the  all-seeing  eye  of 
God  notices  his  backslidings.  He  does  not 
pray  as  much  as  he  used  to  ;  he  does  not  search 
the  scriptures  as  he  once  did  ;  nor  does  he  sit 


PRAYER  FOR  THE   HOLY  SPIRIT.  129 

solemnly  down  to  meditate  on  the  things  of 
God.  But  he  is  worldly,  and  God,  and  Christ, 
and  the  things  of  religion  occupy  but  a  se- 
condary place.  Where  these  signs  appear,  we 
may  be  quite  certain  that  religion  is  low,  and 
the  Spirit  has  withdrawn. 

As  a  fourth  question  we  proposed  to  inquire 
into  the  consequences  of  grieving  the  Spirit 
till  he  should  withdraw  from  us.  These  con- 
sequences may  be  traced  in  the  church  as  a 
body,  or  in  individuals  in  particular.  When 
the  Spirit  departs  from  a  church,  the  members 
will  become  remiss  in  duty ;  matters  of  form 
will  be  regarded  more  than  the  grand  essentials 
of  religion ;  discipline  will  be  neglected,  and 
offences  tolerated  ;  the  spirit  of  prayer  will  de- 
part, and  converting  work  will  be  at  a  stand. 
All  the  forms  of  religion  may  be  retained,  but 
an  icy  coldness  will  pervade  the  exercises,  and 
no  unction  will  attend  them.  Thus  the  ex- 
ternal may  be  fair,  but  "  Ichabod,  the  glory  is 
departed,"  will  be  written  on  everything, 
1  Sam.  iv.  21,  22. 

The  departure  of  the  Spirit  from  an  indivi- 
dual may  be  traced  in  much  the  same  way, 
though  perhaps  more  distinctly.  You  saw  the 
man  when  in  the  love  of  his  espousals,  and 
you  noticed  how  his  heart  was    overflowing 


130  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

with  love  to  God,  and  his  fellow-men ;  you  saw 
his  seat  in  the  sanctuar}^  always  filled,  and  if 
you  missed  him  from  the  place  of  public  wor- 
ship on  the  Sabbath,  you  might  be  certain  that 
he  was  sick,  or  that  some  unforeseen  provi- 
dence detained  him;  you  found  him  also  at  the 
meeting  for  social  prayer,  with  his  heart  full 
of  love  to  God  and  man,  and  ready  at  all 
times  to  speak  of  the  things  pertaining  to  eter- 
nal life.  But  the  Spirit  has  been  grieved 
away,  and  has  withdrawn,  at  least,  for  a  time, 
and  what  a  change  has  come  !  The  man  is 
cold  and  spiritless;  his  hfe  is  like  that  of  the 
world;  he  thinks  of  the  world,  and  he  talks 
of  the  world.  He  may  be  attentive  to  out- 
w^ard  duties,  but  the  world  has  his  heart. 
All  these  things  being  considered,  we  cannot 
but  perceive  the  vast  importance  of  praying 
for  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  every  christian  view- 
ing the  matter  aright  will  adopt,  as  his  own, 
the  prayer  of  David :  "  Take  not  thy  Holy 
Spirit  from  me."  Psalm  li.  11.  All  the  com- 
fort of  religion  in  the  soul,  all  the  growth  in 
grace,  all  the  increase  of  divine  knowledge, 
depends  on  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  is,  therefore,  of  immense  consequence  that 
this  sacred  messenger  should  not  depart  from 
us,  for  so  certainly  as  this  takes  place  we  shall 


PRAYER   FOR   THE    HOLY    SPIRIT.  131 

become  cold  and  languid  in  religion,  dull  and 
spiritless  in  all  holy  duties,  and  if  we  do  not 
actually  make  shipwreck  of  the  faith,  and  lose 
our  souls,  we  shall  make  a  halting,  irregular 
pace,  walk  under  a  cloud  all  our  days,  have 
little  or  no  comfortable  communion  with  God, 
and  perhaps  die  at  last  in  a  dark  and  doubtful 
state.  So  important,  therefore,  it  is  to  us  per- 
sonally, that  we  should  pray  for  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  our  own  souls  may 
not  only  live  before  God,  but  thrive  and  flou- 
rish like  a  watered  garden.  And  what  a 
melancholy  state  would  the  church  be  in,  if 
God  should  withdraw  his  Spirit !  The  spirit 
of  prayer  would  depart,  the  members  would 
become  remiss  in  duty,  offences  and  alienations 
would  creep  in,  discipline  would  be  neglected, 
and  very  little  difference  would  be  perceived 
between  the  church  and  the  world.  And  if 
such  would  be  the  effects  of  the  withdraw- 
ment  of  the  Spirit  from  individuals,  and  from 
the  church,  much  more  dreadful  would  be  the 
effect  should  he  altogether  withdraw  from  the 
world.  There  can  be  no  true  conversion  with- 
out the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  wicked 
will  continue  to  do  wickedly,  and  the  scorners 
delight  in  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge, 
"  until  the  Spirit  be  poured  upon  us  from  on 


132  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

high."  Isaiah  xxxii.  15.  How  important  then, 
that  we  lift  up  a  living  cry  to  the  Lord,  that 
he  take  not  his  Holy  Spirit  from  us,  lest  men 
harden  in  sin,  and  perish  in  their  own  de- 
ceivings  ! 


THE    HEARER   OF   PRAYER.  133 


CHAPTEH    XVII. 
THE   HEARER   OF   PRAYER. 

Among  the  excellent  characteristics  ascribed 
to  Jehovah,  in  the  scriptures,  is  that  of  a 
Hearer  of  prayer.  The  thought  of  praying 
without  being  regarded  is  disheartening,  but 
as  we  can  think  of  Jehovah  regarding  our 
prayers,  receiving  and  answering  them,  we  are 
encouraged  to  present  our  requests,  adopting 
as  our  own  the  language  of  the  psalmist,  "  0 
thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  ail 
flesh  come."     Psalm  Ixv.  2. 

That  God  hears  prayer  may  be  argued, 
very  conclusively,  from  the  fact  of  his  omni- 
science, and  his  omnipresence.  Where  is  he? 
Or  rather  where  is  he  not?  If  we  ascend  up 
to  heaven,  he  is  there  seated  in  glory;  if  we 
descend  to  the  regions  of  woe,  his  power  and 
his  vengeance  follow  us  ;  and  if  we  take  the 
wings  of  the  morning  and  dwell  in  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  or  sea,  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord   would  still   be  present  to   inspect 

12 


134  THOUGHTS   ON  PRAYER. 

all  our  ways.  Psalm  cxxxix.  7 — 10.  This 
great  truth,  that  God  is  always  present,  we 
probably  all  believe.  But  how  is  it?  Is  he 
present  with  every  one,  and  in  every  place? 
and  does  he  hear  every  prayer  of  every  saint  ? 
There  are  thousands  engaged  in  prayer  in  dif- 
ferent places,  at  the  same  moment.  Does  he 
hear  them  all  ?  Why  not  ?  He  is  infinite. 
The  ingenuity  and  invention  of  man  has  done 
great  things  in  former  times,  and  continues  to  do 
so  up  to  this  day,  and  cannot  Jehovah  do  more? 
As  an  illustration  of  this  subject,  we  will 
consider  for  a  moment  a  single  modern  inven- 
tion of  man,  the  magnetic  telegraph.  By 
this  truly  wonderful  machine  information  is 
communicated  to  distant  points  in  the  space  of 
a  few  moments.  What  an  advance  is  here 
upon  all  former  inventions !  The  wing  of  the 
carrier  pigeon,  the  fleetness  of  the  horse,  the 
rapidity  of  the  wind,  and  even  the  terrible 
energy  of  steam,  are  all  now  superseded  by 
the  lightning.  What  a  messenger  is  this  !  Yet 
novel  and  perfect  as  this  mode  of  communica- 
tion may  appear,  it  has  a  rival,  and  one  of  no 
modern  invention — the  ability  of  God  to  hear 
and  answer  prayer  ;  not  a  magnetic  but  a  spi?'it' 
ual  telegraph,  and  which  far  outstrips  the  pre- 
sent mode  of  communication  among  men.     We 


THE  HEARER  OF  PRAYER.       l35 

said  it  was  no  modern  invention.  It  is  true, 
for  it  is  as  old  as  the  world.  It  was  familiar 
to  the  first  man.  It  has  been  employed  for 
centuries  by  ancient  patriarchs,  and  prophets, 
and  kings,  and  has  been  in  constant  operation 
from  that  time  to  this.  This  medium  of  commu- 
nication is  the  most  perfect  imaginable.  The 
communication  is  between  heaven  and  earth  ; 
One  terminus  is  in  this  lower  world ;  the 
other  is  at  the  throne  of  God.  Altogether 
unlike  the  human  machine,  no  accident  can 
disarrange  it,  and  no  malevolence  sever  it;  and 
it  operates  with  a  swiftness  wholly  unknown 
to  the  machinery  of  earth,  conveying  a 
thought,  a  wish,  or  a  groan,  from  the  most 
dismal  dungeon  or  cavern  on  earth,  instantly 
into  the  ear  of  God.  And  it  conveys  not 
words  only,  but  impressions,  emotions  and  feel- 
ings ;  and  even  a  desire  conceived  in  the  heart 
of  a  man  is  instantly  made  known  to  God. 
And  there  is  one  thing  very  peculiar  about  it, 
it  has  a  terminus  on  every  spot  in  the  world 
where  there  is  found  a  praying  soul.  The 
terminus  is  in  every  renewed  heart.  The  con- 
verted Hottentot,  the  Esquimaux,  the  Indian, 
the  African,  the  polished  European,  the  Asia- 
tic, the  Barbarian,  the  Scythian,  the  bond, 
and  the  free,  may  all  at  the  same  time  be  in 


136  THOUGHTS  ON  PRAYER. 

communication  with  the  high  and  mighty  Ruler 
of  the  universe,  who,  without  any  confusion, 
hears  every  request,  every  complaint,  every 
confession."^  Such  is  the  wonderful  communi- 
cation between  the  heart  of  the  contrite  and 
the  bosom  of  his  God.  Is  not  God  a  Hearer 
of  prayer  ?  The  fact  that  God  hears  prayer 
is  full  of  encouragement  to  the  disconsolate 
soul.  When  the  soul  is  made  to  understand 
that  God  hears  prayer,  and  truly  believes  that 
there  is  a  throne  of  grace,  he  will  repair 
thither.  As  naturall}^  as  a  child  will  go  to  its 
parent  in  distress,  because  he  knows  the  pa- 
rent is  ready  to  hear  him,  just  so  readily  does 
the  pious  soul  repair  to  the  mercy-seat.  He 
knows  that  God  is  there ;  he  believes  the 
declarations  of  the  scriptures  to  this  effect, 
and  repairs  at  once  to  the  place  where  he  can 
meet  his  God. 

The  fact  that  God  hears  prayer  not  only  en- 
courages our  approach  to  him,  but  induces  the 
soul  to  make  a  full  disclosure  of  all  its  wants. 
How  readily  did  Abraham,  when  pleading  for 
Sodom,  go  out  into  particulars  before  God ! 
He  felt  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of  a  Hearer 
of  prayer,  and  that  his  requests  would  not  be 

*  See  an  article  ou  the  Telegraph  in  the  Presbyterian  for 
Auj,^  8th.,  18iG. 


THE  HEARER  OF  PRAYER.       137 

lost,  and  this  consideration  encouraged  him  to 
prefer  all  his  wants,  and,  without  reserve,  to 
disclose  before  God  every  wish  of  his  heart. 
Just  as  the  child  who  knows  that  his  father  is 
listening  to  his  requests  with  a  heart  overflow- 
ing with  love,  will  come  to  him  with  most  am- 
ple statements  of  his  wants;  so  the  praying 
soul  will  come^hefore  his  heavenly  Father  in 
view  of  his  readiness  to  hear  and  answer 
prayer. 

The  fact  that  God  hears  prayer,  produces 
in  the  soul  the  greatest  confidence  and  reliance 
upon  him.  Would  the  father  encourage  the 
approach  of  the  child,  and  listen  to  his  requests 
in  detail  A\ithout  intending  to  grant  relief? 
Certainly  not.  So  at  once  the  soul  argues  in 
prayer,  and  with  the  greatest  confidence  relies 
on  God.  So  did  Moses,  when  pleading  for  re- 
bellious Israel.  So  did  Samuel,  when  he  cried 
unto  the  Lord  all  night :  and  so  did  David, 
when  he  sat  before  the  Lord,  making  his  prayer 
unto  the  God  of  his  salvation.  And  so  has 
every  saint  from  that  day  to  this.  The  con- 
sideration that  he  is  not  addressing  a  senseless 
idol,  but  is  preferring  his  requests  before  a 
living  God,  and  pouring  out  his  desires  into 
the  ears  of  one  who  hears  every  request,  and  no- 
tices every  sigh  of  the  contrite  heart;  yea,  be- 

12* 


138  THOUGHTS  ON  PRAYEK. 

fore  whom  a  book  of  remembrance  is  written 
for  those  that  even  think  upon  his  name;  Mal- 
achi  iii.  16 ;  the  consideration  of  this  will  in- 
fallibly produce  confidence  in  God,  and  the 
believing  soul  will  quietly  rest  upon  him. 

Thus  is  God  a  Hearer  of  prayer,  and  these 
that  we  have  now  named,  are  some  of  the  ad- 
vantages arising  from  that  relation.  How  ex- 
cellent is  the  privilege  of  prayer  when  we 
know  that  God  hears  it!  There  is  not  a  sigh 
nor  a  groan  bursting  from  a  contrite  heart,  but 
it  instantly  enters  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord. 
No  bolts  nor  bars  can  shut  him  out,  nor  is  any 
cavern  so  deep,  nor  any  wilderness  so  dark  as 
to  exclude  him;  nor  yet  is  any  trouble  too 
mighty  for  him  to  allay.  How  excellent,  we 
repeat  it,  is  the  privilege  of  prayer !  If  God 
did  not  hear,  the  case  would  be  altered.  If, 
like  the  priests  of  Baal,  we  must  call  from 
morning  to  noon,  while  there  was  none  to  hear, 
nor  any  that  regarded,  1  Kings  xviii.  26,  there 
would  be  reason  for  restraining  prayer.  But 
it  is  not  so.  Jehovah  hears  the  cry  of  the 
humble,  and  listens  to  the  groaning  of  the  pri- 
soner. 


PRAYER   ANSWERED.  139 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 
PRAYER   ANSWERED.* 

When  the  christian  presents  his  supplica- 
tions before  the  mercy-seat,  and  lifts  up  his 
prayer  unto  the  God  of  his  life,  his  most  ar- 
dent desire  is  that  he  may  be  heard  and  an- 
swered, and  scarce  anything  is  more  distressing 
than  an  apprehension  that  his  cries  are  disre- 
garded. Hence  we  find  the  cry  of  the 
psalmist,  "Hear  my  prayer,  0  Lord,  give  ear 
to  my  supplications :  in  thy  faithfulness 
answer  me,  and  in  thy  righteousness."  Psalm 
cxliii.  1.  And  on  another  occasion  we  find 
him  crying  out,  "Hear  my  prayer,  0  Lord, 
and  let  my  cry  come  unto  thee.  Hide  not  thy 
face  from  me  in  the  day  when  I  am  in  trou- 
ble; incline  thine  ear  unto  me:  in  the  day 
when  I  call,  answer  me  speedily."  Psalm  cii. 

*  For  many  ideas  in  this  Chapter,  and  some  of  the  language, 
the  author  is  indebted  to  Phillip's  "  Devotional  Guide."  But 
the  selections  are  so  made,  and  the  language  so  changed,  that 
quotation  marks  are  omitted. 


140  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

1,  2.  And  it  was  the  apprehension  of  not  be- 
ing heard  in  prayer,  which  drew  forth  the 
distressing  complaints  of  the  weeping  prophet, 
^^He  hath  hedged  me  about,  that  I  cannot  get 
out :  he  hath  made  my  chain  heavy.  Also, 
when  I  cry  and  shout,  he  shutteth  out  my 
prayer."  Lam.  iii.  7,  8.  So  trying  it  is  to 
the  humble  soul  to  doubt  its  interest  at  the 
throne  of  grace.  But  how  may  we  know  that 
our  prayers  are  answered?  for  we  may  be 
assured  that  God  does  hear  and  answer 
prayer. 

1.  The  christian  may  conclude  that  his 
prayers  are  answered  when  he  is  kept  in  a 
prayerful  frame.  This  evidence  of  answers 
to  prayer,  though  often  overlooked  and  under- 
rated, is  not  a  small  matter.  A  "spirit  of 
supplication,"  is  a  ^^  spirit  of  grace,"  Zech.  xii. 
10,  however  low  the  dehght  and  joy  that  may 
accompany  it.  When  the  prophet  declared, 
"  1  will  wait  upon  the  Lord,  that  hideth  his 
face,"  Isaiah  viii.  17,  it  was  quite  as  decisive 
a  proof  of  a  state  of  grace,  as  when  the 
psalmist  declared  triumphantly,  "'  I  love  the 
Lord,  because  he  hath  heard  my  voice  and 
my  supplications."  Psalm  cxvi.  1.  And,  if 
anything,  more  so,  as  it  is  an  evidence  of 
stronger  affection,  and  is  expressive  of  a  de- 


PRAYER   ANSWERED.  141 

termination  to  cleave  to  the  Lord,  even  in  a 
time  of  darkness  and  despondency.  So  that 
we  may  very  safely  conclude  that  the  man 
who  cannot  give  up  prayer,  but  continues  to 
call  upon  God,  is  not  an  unconverted  man. 
His  continued  desire  for  the  things  of  God 
furnishes  evidence  that  he  is  a  child  of  God, 
and  hence  that  his  prayers  are  heard. 

2.  When  we  can  discern  in  ourselves  an  in- 
creasing love  to  the  truth,  we  may  take  it  as 
an  evidence  that  God  has  heard  our  prayers. 
Naturally,  no  man  loves  the  humbling  doc- 
trines of  the  cross ;  and  although  a  man  may 
be  rationally  convinced  of  the  truth,  and  feel 
obliged  to  admit  that  such  and  such  things  are 
really  taught  in  the  Bible,  yet  to  love  these 
truths,  and  to  feel  our  affections  clinging  to 
them,  is  quite  another  thing.  David  could 
say,  "  0  how  love  I  thy  law :  it  is  my  medi- 
tation all  the  day!"  Psalm  cxix.  97.  Yet 
David  did  not  naturally  love  God's  law  any 
more  than  another  man,  and  the  fact  that  his  af- 
fections were  now  placed  on  it,  was  a  powerful 
evidence  that  he  was  a  changed  man,  and  that 
God  was  answering  his  prayers.  We  may 
judge  thus  in  regard  to  any  one.  Should  we 
find  any  man  acknowledging,  and  cordially 
loving  all  the  great  truths  which  exalt  God 


142  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

and  debase  the  creature,  we  should  say  at 
once,  this  must  be  a  changed  man,  for  he  now 
loves  the  great  and  distinguishing  truths  of 
revelation,  as  no  unconverted  man  ever  does. 
He  must  be  a  child  of  God. 

3.  Conscientiousness,  exercised  in  regard  to 
those  tempers  and  habits  which  are  opposed  to 
godliness,  is  a  good  evidence  of  such  a  change 
as  clearly  implies  receiving  answers  to  prayer. 
Joy  in  God,  assurance  of  his  love,  and  great 
serenity  of  mind,  are  much  to  be  desired,  but 
they  are  not  any  more  valuable  than  self-abase- 
ment, self-control,  and  self-distrust ;  and  per- 
haps the  very  answers  to  our  prayers  are 
granted  in  an  increase  of  humility,  and  a  godly 
jealousy  over  ourselves.  We  go  and  pray  to 
God  for  an  increase  of  faith,  and  perhaps  he 
sends  some  sharp  trial  which  humbles  us  be- 
fore him,  and  excites  great  searchings  of  heart. 
Here  then  we  have  an  answer  to  our  prayers, 
though  perhaps  not  in  such  a  way  as  we 
thought. 

4.  We  may  consider  our  prayers  as  favour- 
ably answered  when  we  are  preserved  from 
tormenting  fear,  and  despair  of  salvation.  We 
believe  the  revelation  which  God  has  given 
concerning  the  doom  of  the  finally  impenitent, 
and  yet  we  have  some  little  confidence  towards 


PRAYER   ANSWERED.  143 

God,  and  some  trembling  hope  of  final  salva- 
tion. Our  hope  may  be  neither  strong  nor 
steady,  and  it  may  be  mingled  with  much  mis- 
giving of  mind ;  but  it  is  still  very  different 
from  despair.  A  very  faint  hope  is  better  than 
none  at  all,  and  no  man  should  despair  utterly, 
though  he  may  have  some  misgivings,  and 
though  much  obscurity  may  still  rest  on  his 
spiritual  vision.  The  ordinary  tone  of  mind  in 
a  growing  christian  is  rather  calm  than  other- 
wise, and  it  should  be  deemed  more  satisfactory 
to  be  found  quietly  trusting  in  God,  than  to  be 
in  ecstasies.  Trust  in  God  is  an  evidence  that 
the  heart  is  right,  and  may  be  considered  as  a 
proof  that  God  has  answered  our  prayers. 

5.  If  we  can  find  in  ourselves  a  desire  for 
greater  degrees  of  holiness,  and  more  entire 
conformity  of  heart  and  life  to  God,  we  may 
hope  that  the  great  Hearer  of  prayer  has  bowed 
his  ear  to  our  supplications,  and  granted  us 
answers  of  peace.  A  desire  for  hohness  is  a 
permanent  principle  in  the  christian's  heart. 
Adversity  does  not  overthrow  it;  prosperity 
tries  it,  but  it  is  not  overcome ;  it  may  fluctuate, 
but  it  does  not  expire.  Human  nature,  left 
to  its  own  tendencies,  never  produces  such  a 
state  of  mind  as  this.  It  is  not  the  tendency 
of  human  nature  to  produce  a  love  to  holiness. 


144  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

nor  yet  a  love  of  obedience  to  God's  require- 
ments. It  is  impossible  that  it  should  do  so, 
for  the  stream  can  never  rise  higher  than  the 
fountain.  Therefore  a  real  desire  for  holiness 
is  an  evidence  of  true  religion,  and  is  a  proof 
that  God  hears  and  answers  our  prayers. 

Should  the  inquiry  arise  in  any  mind  how 
prayer  is  answered,  it  may  be  remarked  that 
it  is  not  by  any  new  revelation.  This  we  are 
not  to  expect.  We  already  have  in  the  Bible 
the  only  revelation  that  we  are  ever  to  look 
for.  But  the  truths  which  are  revealed  may 
become  more  vivid,  making  a  deeper  impres- 
sion on  the  mind ;  and  as  the  pious  soul  lifts 
up  its  cries  to  God,  and  spreads  out  its  re- 
quests before  the  mercy-seat,  he  must  not  ex- 
pect to  hear  a  voice  calling  to  him  from  heaven, 
nor  to  have  some  remarkable  dream,  nor  to  see 
a  vision  ;  but  his  mind  will  be  enlightened  in 
relation  to  the  scriptures,  and  the  revelation 
already  made  will  come  with  light  and  comfort 
to  his  soul.  Thus  does  God  answer  the  prayers 
of  his  people. 


THE   PRAYING    MAN.  145 


CHAPTEE    XIX. 

THE   PRAYING   MAN. 

In  the  preceding  chapters,  after  a  brief  defi- 
nition of  the  great  duty  of  prayer,  we  have 
attempted  an  analysis  of  that  form  of  prayer 
which  our  Lord  taught  his  disciples,  commonly 
called  the  Lord's  prayer ;  and  then  considered 
the  duty  as  performed  in  the  closet,  in  the 
family,  in  the  social  meeting,  and  in  the  pubhc 
sanctuary.  The  power  of  prayer  was  then 
stated ;  its  leading  arguments  adduced ;  its  im- 
portunity considered ;  its  continuance  sug- 
gested ;  and  its  immediate  performance  urged. 
It  was  shown  that  the  duty  had  respect  to 
every  matter,  and  that  prayer  should  be  offered 
for  temporal  blessings,  as  well  as  for  those 
which  are  spiritual.  Prayer  in  the  name  of 
Christ  was  considered ;  together  with  a  de- 
scription of  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  in 
prayer ;  and  then  was  shown  the  importance 
of  prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit ;  concluding  the 
discussion,  thus  far,  by  exhibiting  some  evi- 
ls 


146  THOUGHTS   ON    PRAYER. 

dence  that  God  both  hears  and  answers  the 
prayers  of  his  people. 

It  is  proposed  in  this  closing  chapter  to  il- 
lustrate the  whole  by  an  example  of  the  pray- 
ing MAN. 

In  looking  into  the  Bible  for  an  example,  we 
have  selected  that  of  Jabez,  as  furnishing  one 
of  the  brightest.  "  And  Jabez  was  more 
honourable  than  his  brethren,  and  his  mother 
called  his  name  Jabez,  saying.  Because  I  bare 
him  with  sorrow.  And  Jabez  called  on  the 
God  of  Israel,  saying,  Oh,  that  thou  wouldest 
bless  me  indeed,  and  enlarge  my  coast,  and 
that  thine  hand  might  be  with  me,  and  that 
thou  wouldest  keep  me  from  evil,  that  it  may 
not  grieve  me.  And  God  granted  him  that 
which  he  requested."  1  Chron.  iv.  9,  10. 
The  account  here  given  of  Jabez  is  introduced 
in  the  midst  of  a  genealogy  of  names,  but  has 
no  connection  either  with  what  precedes  or 
with  what  follows  it.  We  know  nothing  of 
his  parentage,  or  of  his  family,  or  even  of  the 
age  in  which  he  lived.  At  the  time  the  chron- 
icles of  Israel  were  arranged,  the  Jews  might 
not  have  wanted  information  respecting  Jabez, 
but  to  us  there  is  no  account  given  save  what 
we  have  in  the  text  just  recited.  Even  his 
name  is  not  mentioned  in  any  other  place  in 


THE   PRAYING    MAN.  147 

the  Bible.  He  may  have  been  a  very  rich 
man,  or  he  ma}^  have  been  a  very  poor  man ; 
he  may  have  been  learned,  or  he  may  have 
been  ignorant ;  he  may  have  been  a  man  in 
authority,  or  he  may  have  been  trampled  down 
in  the  dust.  One  striking  characteristic  is 
given  of  him,  and  but  one,  and  that  is  that  he 
was  a  man  of  pra3^er,  and  no  doubt  it  was  de- 
clared of  him  in  this  respect  that  he  was  more 
honourable  than  his  brethren.  Herein,  most 
probably,  his  eminency  appeared ;  divine  grace 
had  qualified  him  above  others  :  his  brethren 
may  have  done  virtuously,  but  he  excelled 
them  all.  Solomon  says  that  "the  righteous 
is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbour,"  Prov. 
xii.  26,  and  when  we  consider  the  high  and 
holy  motives  by  which  the  good  man  is  swayed, 
the  pure  desires  by  which  he  is  actuated,  the 
good  he  endeavours  to  perform,  the  service  he 
would  render  to  God  and  men,  as  well  as  the 
heaven  of  glory  to  which  he  aspires,  we  may 
see  that  all  serve  to  exhibit  the  true  greatness 
of  his  character,  and  prove  the  pious,  praying 
man,  to  be  in  reality  more  excellent  than  any 
wicked,  worldly  man,  however  distinguished. in 
other  things.  Jabez  was  such  a  man,  and 
therefore  was  more  honourable  than  his  breth- 
ren.    He  was  perhaps  an   obscure   man,  for 


148  THOUGHTS  ON   PRAYER. 

none  of  his  achievements  are  recorded,  except 
his  prayers,  but  in  this  he  was  a  genuine  son 
of  Jacob,  who  wrestled  in  prayer  until  he  ob- 
tained a  blessing.  From  a  full  heart  he  ear- 
nestly entreated  the  God  of  Israel  to  bless  him 
indeed,  neither  sending  him  away  empty,  nor 
putting  him  oiF  with  temporal  mercies.  And 
God  heard  him,  and  granted  his  request. 

Several  important  matters  may  here  be  con- 
sidered. 

1.  We  should  take  notice  of  the  Being  to 
whom  Jabez  addressed  his  prayers.  It  was 
not  to  any  idol  god,  neither  to  the  host  of 
heaven,  but  it  is  explicitly  declared  that  he 
called  on  the  God  of  Israel,  the  living  and 
true  God,  who  alone  can  hear  and  answer 
prayer.  He  prayed  to  a  God  in  covenant, 
called  the  God  of  Israel,  by  way  of  eminence. 
This  should  be  well  considered  when  we  pray. 
He  that  cometh  unto  God  acceptably,  must 
believe  that  he  is,  and  who  he  is,  and  why  we 
address  him  rather  than  another.  We  should 
endeavour  to  view  him  as  sitting  upon  the 
throne,  as  ruling  over  the  world,  and  disposing 
of  everything  according  to  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will,  and  yet  a  God  of  condescending 
mercy,  hearing  the  prayers  of  his  people,  and 
bowing  his  ears  to  the  cry  of  the  most  needy. 


THE   PRAYING   MAN.  149 

Thus  he  who  prays  acceptably,  as  did  Jabez, 
will,  like  him,  address  the  God  of  Israel. 

2.  We  should  take  notice  of  the  nature  of 
Jabez's  prayer;  "  Oh  that  thou  wouldest  bless 
me  indeed  !"  or  as  it  might  very  properly  have 
been  expressed,  If  thou  wilt  bless  me  indeed, 
putting  it  in  the  form  of  a  covenant,  or  sol- 
emn vow,  commencing  the  sentence  but  not 
filling  it  out.  This  directs  us  to  the  spirit  with 
which  we  should  offer  our  prayers.  We  must 
not  come  to  the  throne  of  grace  with  a  spirit 
of  dictation,  but  rather  supphcating  the  divine 
mercy  with  a  spirit  that  would  put  a  blank 
into  the  hand  of  God,  leaving  it  to  divine 
wisdom  and  goodness  to  fill  up  the  lines  as  it 
may  seem  good  to  him.  Such  was  the  prayer 
of  Jabez.     We  should  notice 

3.  The  peculiar  excellency  of  this  prayer. 

It  was  very  Jiumhle  prayer.  Jabez  evi- 
dently felt  his  entire  dependence  on  God,  and 
addressed  him  in  the  most  beseeching  manner  : 
^'  Oh  that  thou  wouldest  bless  me !"  Such 
humility  is  always  necessary  to  render  prayer 
acceptable,  for  the  more  we  abase  ourselves, 
the  more  will  God  exalt  us. 

The  prayer  of  Jabez  was  very  direct.    He 

did  not  content  himself  with  general  petitions ; 

he  did  not  go  round  about  the  subject  in  hand 
13  *  *  .' 


150  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

without  coming  to  the  point;  but  he  stated 
his  wants  to  God  in  a  distinct  manner.  So 
should  we  do.  Not  that  God  needs  informa- 
tion respecting  our  wants,  or  that  he  will  hear 
us  for  our  much  speaking,  but  we  should  recite 
our  wants  distinctly  before  God  in  order  to 
impress  our  own  minds  with  a  sense  of  our 
utter  helplessness,  as  well  as  our  unworthiness 
of  the  least  special  favour. 

The  excellency  of  the  prayer  of  Jabez 
further  appears  in  that  it  was  impo7iunate,  and 
was  enforced  by  a  very  earnest  plea.  He 
wished  to  be  kept  from  evil.  Sin  is  a  most 
bitter  and  grievous  thing,  and  they  who  indulge 
it  will  find  that  though  it  may  seem  delightful 
for  a  moment,  yet  at  the  last  it  will  bite  like 
a  serpent  and  sting  like  an  adder.  We  should 
therefore,  like  Jabez,  pray  to  be  kept  from  sin, 
desiring  that  God  would  lay  his  restraints 
upon  us,  and  keep  us  from  running  in  the  way 
of  evil  men. 

The  prayer  of  Jabez  was  hclieving  prayer. 
Most  evidently  he  trusted  in  God,  and  his 
prayer  being  offered  in  faith,  received  an  an- 
swer of  peace.  So  our  Lord  promised  his 
disciples,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer, 
believing,  ye  shall  receive."  Matt.  xxi.  22. 

Thus  we  see  the  excellency  of  the  prayer 


THE   PRAYING   MAN.  151 

of  Jabez :  it  was  humble,  and  direct,  and  im- 
portunate, and  it  was  offered  in  faith.  No 
wonder  that  prayer,  possessing  such  qualities, 
should  be  successful.  It  would  have  been 
strange  should  it  have  been  denied. 

4.  We  should  further  notice  the  subject 
matter  of  Jabez's  prayer.  There  were  four 
principal  things  for  which  he  prayed. 

1.  He  prayed  for  God's  blessing:  "  Oh  that 
thou  wouldest  bless  me  indeed !"  It  is  alto- 
gether probable  that  he  had  an  eye  to  the  spi- 
ritual blessings  which  God  had  promised  to 
Abraham,  and  to  his  seed.  Wheu  God  entered 
into  covenant  with  the  father  of  the  faithful, 
he  repeatedly  promised,  saying,  "  Blessing  I 
will  bless  thee,"  and  from  age  to  age  those  who 
possessed  the  spirit  of  Abraham,  desired  above 
all  things  to  be  interested  in  those  spiritual 
blessings  which  were  promised  him.  These, 
doubtless,  were  the  blessings  which  Jabez  de- 
sired, and  the  blessings  which  we  should  desire 
if  we  would  pray  like  him.  The  blessings 
which  God  bestows  are  real  things,  for  he  can 
give  of  his  grace,  and  add  no  sorrow  there- 
with. Here,  then,  is  an  example  for  us  to  fol- 
low. When  we  are  alone  with  God,  and  are 
bowing  our  knees  at  the  mercy -seat,  we  should 
desire  above  all  things  those  blessings  which 


152  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

are  spiritual,  which    God   alone  can   bestow, 
and  which  can  permanently  satisfy  the  soul. 

2.  Jabez  desired  of  God  that  he  would  "en- 
large his  coast."  It  is  quite  probable  that  this 
originally  referred  to  the  time  when  the  people 
of  Israel  were  endeavouring  to  subdue  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  possess  it.  But  it  may 
be  spiritually  understood  as  a  desire  to  have 
our  hearts  subjugated  by  the  grace  of  God, 
and  in  this  way  to  have  our  portion  in  the 
heavenly  Canaan  enlarged.  We  are  frequently 
reminded  in  the  scriptures,  that  if  we  would 
possess  much  of  spiritual  things,  we  must  de- 
sire much.  "•  Open  thy  mouth  wide,"  said 
God,  "and  I  will  fill  it."  *' According  to  thy 
faith,  be  it  unto  thee,"  said  our  Lord.  And 
the  apostle  sharply  rebuked  those  who  did  not 
enlarge  their  desires  for  spiritual  mercies,  say- 
ing, "Ye  are  not  straitened  in  us,  but  ye  are 
straitened  in  your  own  bowels."  2  Cor.  vi.  12. 

Hence,  if  we  would  pray  as  Jabez  did,  we 
must  enlarge  our  hearts,  desiring  much  of 
God,  believing  at  the  same  time  that  he  can 
do  exceeding  abundantly  above  that  we  are 
able  to  ask  or  think. 

3.  Another  striking  petition  in  the  prayer 
of  Jabez  was,  that  God's  hand  might  be  with 
him.     There  was  much  wisdom  in  this  prayer 


THE   PRAYING   MAN.  153 

in  his  case,  and  it  is  equally  so  in  ours. 
Naturally,  we  are  very  weak  and  feeble, 
and  have  very  little  strength  to  resist  the 
enemies  who  come  against  us  to  prevent  our 
entrance  into  heaven  ;  and  should  God  abandon 
us  to  our  own  wisdom  and  strength,  we  should 
utterly  fail  of  salvation.  Hence  the  import- 
ance of  the  petition  that  God's  hand  might  be 
with  us,  for  nothing  can  stand  before  him, 
and  what  he  undertakes  will  be  accomplished. 

4.  Jabez  prayed  that  God  would  keep  him 
from  evil.  It  was  a  petition  somewhat  similar 
to  the  petition  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil." 
The  evil  of  sin,  the  evil  of  temptations  and 
trials,  are  constantly  besetting  our  path,  so  that 
we  need  the  guidance  of  the  Lord,  as  well  as 
the  support  and  protection  of  his  mighty  arm. 

We  have  thus  very  briefly  considered  the 
Being  to  whom  Jabez  addressed  his  prayer, 
together  with  its  nature,  its  excellency,  and  its 
subject  matter.  It  remains  to  speak  of  the 
issue  of  his  prayer.  He  did  not  pray  in  vain. 
As  he  addressed  a  living  God,  he  was  heard 
and  answered.  It  is  expressly  said,  "And 
God  granted  him  that  which  he  requested." 
We  have  no  detailed  account  of  God's  kindness 
to  Jabez,  but  we  are  simply  told  that  he  re- 


154  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

ceived  all  he  asked  for.  If  Jabez  was  not 
straitened  in  asking,  we  may  be  sure  that  he 
received  a  great  abundance  of  spiritual  bles- 
sings, for  God  is  never  straitened  or  impover- 
ished in  giving.  The  fact  that  Jabez  received 
all  he  prayed  for,  is  a  most  encouraging  one  to 
every  praying  soul.  Whatever  he  asks  in 
faith  he  receives.  The  more  we  abound  in 
petition,  the  more  we  shall  receive  from  the 
hand  of  the  Lord.  The  praying  soul  will  be 
replenished  with  good. 

Such  was  the  praying  man,  and  such  it  is 
both  our  duty  and  our  best  interest  to  become. 
And  what  encouragement  does  this  concise 
history  afford  us  !  Jabez,  as  a  descendant  of 
fallen  Adam,  was  a  child  of  wrath  even  as 
others.  But  divine  grace  renewed  his  heart, 
and  he  became  eminently  a  man  of  prayer. 
We  know  not  that  he  was  distinguished  for 
anything  else,  as  nothing  is  said  of  his  learning, 
his  wealth,  or  of  his  rank  in  society,  but  only 
of  his  prayers,  and  in  this  respect  he  was  re- 
markable, for  like  Jacob,  probably  his  great 
progenitor,  he  had  power  with  God  as  a  prince 
and  prevailed.  Many  and  great  are  the  bles- 
sings which  we  need  from  God,  and  the  throne 
of  his  grace  is  always  open  to  us.  We  may 
therefore  take  encouragement  to  approach  him 


THE   PRAYING   MAN.  155 

as  a  God  reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  ready 
to  receive  the  petitions  of  every  humble,  fer- 
vent, praying  soul,  and  to  grant  them  answers 
of  peace,  for  God  never  will  say  to  any  such 
soul,  "  Seek  ye  my  face,  in  vain." 

Reflecting  on  the  character  of  Jabez,  the 
praying  man,  we  cannot  fail  to  see  that  honour 
and  distinction  are  very  differently  estimated 
in  God's  sight  from  what  they  are  in  the  sight 
of  man.  The  men  who  are  brave,  and  wealthy, 
and  who  make  a  stir  and  a  display  in  the 
world,  are  considered  great  and  honourable 
among  their  fellows.  But  God  sees  differently, 
and  places  a  far  higher  value  on  humble  piety 
than  on  worldly  distinctions,  and  considers  him 
only  as  truly  great  who  is  a  man  of  prayer. 
We  are  also  reminded  in  the  example  of  Jabez, 
that  we  go  about  our  proper  work  in  a  proper 
manner,  only  when  we  seek  God's  blessing  on 
what  we  do,  by  fervent  prayer.  Every  work 
of  our  hands  should  be  brought  to  God,  and 
laid  down  in  the  hght  of  his  countenance ;  and 
if  we  are  doing  anything  on  which  we  cannot 
honestly  ask  God's  blessing,  we  may  rest  as- 
sured that  work  is  sinful. 

Finally.  The  whole  subject  wdiich  has  been 
passing  before  us,  will  suggest  not  only  the 
duty,  but  the  manifold  advantages  of  present- 


156  THOUGHTS   ON   PRAYER. 

ing  all  our  desires  before  the  throne  of  mercy ; 
and  though  we  may  be  small,  and  obscure,  and 
overlooked  in  the  world,  and  not  distinguished 
by  anything  among  men,  yet  we  should  aim 
to  be  distinguished  before  God  as  men  of 
prayer.  Nothing  should  be  thought  too  small 
or  too  great  to  ask  of  God,  and  our  prayers, 
like  those  of  Jabez,  should  be  daily  recorded 
in  heaven.  While  the  pressure  of  our  wants 
drives  us  to  the  throne,  and  the  richness  of 
our  prospects  allures  us  to  the  mercy-seat,  let 
us  honour  God  by  fully  expecting  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  promises,  and  in  due  time  our 
requests  will  be  granted,  and  our  prayers  will 
be  turned  into  everlasting  praises. 


n  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  01056  4906 


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